


Riddikulus (or, My Worst Fear May or May Not, In Fact, Be Your Face)

by Huffleton_Puffleton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gen, Harry Potter Next Generation, POC OC, WOC OC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-05-26
Packaged: 2018-03-13 19:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3392681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huffleton_Puffleton/pseuds/Huffleton_Puffleton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's that age-old tale: boy meets girl, girl hates boy, boy starts shit with girl, girl fake-dates boy to stop the madness, wait what? Albus is pretty sure smarter decisions would've been made had his brother been a Ravenclaw instead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 50 Shades of Done with His Shit

**Sometime in the past (3 days ago, specifically)**

“You know, Potter,” Gwen Vasquez began as she slid down against the wall to sit beside him. She’d had one too many drinks that night as the Gryffindors threw their always-legendary first-weekend-of-the-month party. Not that they didn’t throw parties at any other day of the month.

The boy in question was similarly slumped against the wall, a nearly empty bottle in one hand. He seemed spectacularly drunk as it was which was impressive, considering his reportedly high alcohol tolerance. He squinted down down down at the tousled-seeming bundle of a girl, until his glasses nearly slipped off the tip of his nose. Gwen promptly pushed his face a respectable distance away from her person.

“I may hate you a lot, but you know who I hate more?” she asked him, squinting at the dancing students, focus clearly on He Whom She Hated the Most. James eyed the Ravenclaw dancing with Tippy Cornwallis.

“Yeah,” he agreed, frowning, “Matthew Weinstein is THE worst.”

“Nooo,” Gwen replied, moaning pathetically. “He’s the best!” she asserted, almost to herself. “He’s the best there is and that’s why I hate him,” she said, pouting. “Because I can’t have him,” she added for good measure, looking around for another bottle in which she could drown her sorrows.

“I can’t…” James mumbled beside her, “I can’t do this anymore. You have it,” he inhaled to steady himself and passed the bottle to Gwen. “Tippy Cornwallis,” he whispered into the ether, “Take me,” he said, screwing his face up into a weepy pout.

Gwen took the bottle from him and downed its contents in three huge gulps. “They’re the perfect couple,” she said, leaning her head against the wall, eyes closed.

“There there,” said James as he let her lean on his shoulder. He shushed her to sleep as she protested the perfection of Matthew Weinstein and Tippy Cornwallis. “Weinstein, more like WHY-nstein, amiright? Like, WHY him, Tippy? Why?” he continued as Gwen drifted off to sleep.

“Er, mate…?” Fred Weasley began as he noticed James and Gwen.

“Ssshhh!” James exclaimed, eyes bleary. He patted Gwen’s head, indicating that they shouldn’t wake her.

* * *

 

**Sometime in the past (4 th year, to be kinda exact)**

“Oi, Potter,” she began as she finished helping Herman pick up his books and other school things. “What’d you do that for?” she asked, affecting a tone of complete curiosity. The lack of aggression in her voice threw him off, though only for a moment, and then his usual grin was back.

“What?” he asked, still not knowing how he should respond to the question. Normally, he would’ve ignored whoever was bothering him, but then normally whoever was bothering him would’ve sounded angry and hostile. Beside him, his cousin Fred rolled his eyes.

“You bumped right into Herman and knocked his books to the floor,” her dark brown eyes bore into his, affectedly innocent, but cold and sharp underneath. “I was wondering what possible _logical_ explanation you could have for doing that? There’s clearly _a lot_ of space to _manoeuvre_ around him”. The wide-eyed innocent look she’d taken up melted into her true feelings as her eyes narrowed in anger and annoyance. “You could’ve apologised as well, and helped him, if you were really just too much of a clumsy ogre to realign your course around this poor boy who was clearly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of _things_ he has to carry,” she’d been waving her hands around in exasperation, but now they were on her hips.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” the perpetrator finally asked after a pause, lopsided grin gracing his face, clearly amused at himself.

“James…” Fred ran his hand down his face tiredly and groaned in annoyance.

“Gwen Vasquez,” she replied. “And there’s no need to introduce yourself. I’d recognise you anywhere.” James gave an unexpected genuine smile in surprise. “You’re the bumbling bully who likes to cause a ruckus at the expense of other students,” Gwen lifted an eyebrow. His smile twisted into a frown.

“Gwen…it’s alright…” began Herman, backing away.

“No, it’s not, Herman. If no one calls him out, he’ll think he could just get away with everything,” Gwen asserted, not breaking eye contact with James. “How would you like it if someone knocked over your things and didn’t even apologise? You think it’s so funny?”

“Well…yes,” James replied, shrugging.

Gwen moved closer to the taller boy, letting her hands fall to her sides. Somewhere behind her, Herman scuttled away to avoid the impending fight. In one lightning fast move, she swiped at his right shoulder and brought his book bag crashing to the floor. Gwen’s face reddened. She’d always tried to reign in her anger, but there was just no holding it in with this boy. James and Fred’s faces were frozen in shock. The former was leaning away from her, eyes flicking from the bag, then up to Gwen, then back to the bag.

“You have to be playing Quidditch or something. Reflexes like that…,” mumbled Fred. James picked his bag up and shouldered it again.

“Hufflepuff Keeper?” he asked, not meeting her eyes.

“Yes,” she replied coldly, similarly stunned at herself. “Just…I’m sorry, just apologise to Herman, and stop doing stupid things! Ugh, seriously…” she said, pressing her burning face into her hands for a moment.

“I’ll take it into consideration, Vasquez,” James replied.

“Yeah, yeah,” said Gwen, rolling her eyes and turning to leave.

“What in Merlin’s name was that?” Fred asked as they watched her leave.

“We’re getting her back,” James told him evenly.

“Of course we are,” the taller boy rolled his eyes.

* * *

 

**Sometime in the present (7 th year, to be maybe sorta precise)**

“Fake dating,” James asserted.

“Dumb idea,” Gwen replied, returning the books she’d been referencing for her essay to their proper shelves in the library.

“Why not? Tippy is clearly only trying to make me jealous. If I make _her_ jealous, she’ll only want me more!”

“I’m flattered you think Tippy Cornwallis would ever be jealous of me, but there’s really nothing in it for me,” Gwen whispered. She had no intention of being banned from the library.

“Okay, first of all, Tippy Cornwallis would be jealous of me seeing _anyone_. Second, with her out of the way, Matthew Weinstein is yours for the taking! He’ll be heartbroken, you’ll be available...yeah?” Gwen  rolled her eyes and gathered her things to leave.

“If anyone at all would do, then there’s clearly no need for me to be involved,” she spun around to face him. “Potter, we _loathe_ each other! Last month, you made me fart bubbles in the Great Hall! Last _week_ , I enchanted a chicken to hover over you and lay eggs all day! Do you have any idea how much effort I put into that?” she exited the library, but James was not far behind.

“ _That’s_ why it’s perfect! If it were any other girl, I couldn’t just _pretend_ to date them. I’d have to _lie to_ them, and feel all kinds of guilty. You already hate me, so it’s not like it would mean anything,” it was no struggle for James to keep up with the much shorter girl.

“And if I agree, you’ll end this whole prank war?” Gwen asked, suddenly realising she could finally have some sweet sweet relief. She stopped walking abruptly, and James had to backpedal.

“Deal!” James said, all-too-quickly. “I promise never to pull pranks on you ever again, if you just do this one thing for me.”

“And you promise me throughout all this, you won’t _ever_ put me into any uncompromising and-slash-or embarrassing situations? You’ll respect my decisions and personal space, and you won’t spread nasty rumours about us to convince people we’re really seeing each other?” she pointed a finger up at him.

“I promise,” he said solemnly, “In fact,” he stuck out his pinkie finger, “I pinkie promise.”

“Hold on,” she cautioned.

“What?” James was growing impatient.

“I get to be the one who breaks up with you, if Tippy Cornwallis ever comes around,” Gwen stuck out her pinkie finger.

“Deal,” they shook pinkies. “I promise you won’t regret this, Vasquez”

“You have _clearly_ never seen any romcoms,” Gwen rolled her eyes.

“Are you insinuating you might actually fall for me?” James smirked.

“Um, _no_ ,” Gwen replied matter-of-factly. “Clearly, _you’ll_ fall for _me_ , Potter”

“I think the bigger problem is convincing everyone else we’d actually fall for each other,” James grimaced.

“True, but I’ve got an idea”

_A Few Days Later_

“I can’t believe you!” Gwen yelled in the crowded corridor just past the Great Hall.

“Vas- Gwen, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to incinerate the package! It was just a joke!” James shouted pleadingly.

“We’re not on first name basis, _Potter_ ,” Gwen spat. “And that package was from my parents.”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” James grabbed her hand, but she yanked it back and slapped him across the face. A crowd started gathering.

“I’m so sick of your stupid _jokes_ ,” she was so convincing, James actually felt a chill.

“I just wanted...” he pretend to pause nervously, like he was trying to figure out his feelings instead of preparing to deliver rehearsed lines, “You hated me so much, I just wanted to talk to you, Gwen.” The crowd gasped at the admission.

“I knew it!” someone called.

“This is a whole new level of cruel, James,” she made sure everyone heard her call him by his first name, and then she pretended to choke back a sob and ran away.

“Gwen!” James called as she ran down an empty corridor. By now, everyone had gathered to watch them.

“Run after her!” yelled another random student, and James took off. He caught up to her easily, coming closer until he was so close he could see her lips trembling. He made a mental note to congratulate her on her acting chops.

“I’m not playing, Gwen,” he said seriously, and Gwen felt her ears go red involuntarily. “I like you. I’ve always fancied you,” Gwen’s entire body flushed, and she had to remind herself it was all an act. He _was_ playing; they were playing the crowd and she was in on it. Still, she felt her breath catch when he came in for the kill.

The crowd whooped as they kissed and many 3-year-long bets were finally paid off, but James and Gwen were suddenly oblivious to it all. Meanwhile, somewhere in the crowd, perhaps, or the general vicinity of the castle, James' many relations felt the sudden urge to roll their eyes and groan in frustration.   

 


	2. Can't Buy Me Love (But, I'm Not Averse to Negotiation)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which James Sirius Potter is an insult to the Giant Squid, and Scorpius Malfoy has no game. None. Whatsoever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, to rachel6141997, for leaving a comment, and to everyone who left kudos! :)

“Whoa,” James pulled away from the kiss first. He was vaguely aware of people patting him on the back. He was _definitely_ aware of his hand on a certain girl’s hip.

“ _I know_!” Gwen whispered. They were still close enough that no one would hear. “We’ve really done it!” She glanced around at the crowd that was slowly dispersing.

“Er...yeah!” James gathered himself and released her.

* * *

 

“A little faster with the follow-through, Fred!” James called to his cousin, and Gryffindor Keeper, Fred Weasley II. James liked to think he was captain because of talent and skill, and not because he was Harry Potter’s son. Still, it wasn’t something he thought about as often as people suspected. At the moment, he watched Fred fumble with the Quaffle before sending it back to the Chasers.

“Shall we have a break? You’re pushing quite hard today,” Tippy suggested. James didn’t miss the question behind it. _“You’re nervous about the Slytherin game, aren’t you? You think we’re not ready.”_ James and Tippy were unsurprisingly in-sync with each other as captain and vice captain of the team. They’d also been friends for a long time.

“Alright everyone, water break, and then we’ll try that again! Except you, Melvin, you’re aim’s still off. We can’t have another embarrassing bludger incident!” James sighed and then plopped down beside his vice captain.

“Tip, you honestly think we’re ready for Slytherin?” James asked.

“I honestly think there’s no way we’re going to win if you keep tiring us out every single evening before the match,” she plucked the stray leaves out of his hair. James leaned back comfortably. She was his voice of reason...and the only reason Melvin the Beater wasn’t all but dead yet.

“But we’ve got to get as much practise in, right?”

“Yeah, but you’ve also got to trust that your teammates are doing their best. We all want that championship trophy just as much as you, James. You’re not the only one playing for their last year,” she smiled up at him. Before he could respond, she looked past him and waved at someone on the bleachers.

“Matty’s here,” she told him, “and Gwen too,” Tippy got up and started walking towards the other pair. “Well, come on, then!”

As they walked, James watched what he could see of Matthew and Gwen. He tried to hide his amusement. She could barely look at Matthew! She was acting more like she wanted nothing to do with him than not. Even from all the way below them, James could tell how tense and uncomfortable she was. James gave Matthew the benefit of the doubt. He seemed as though he was really trying to keep up a conversation.

“Matty!” Tippy called just as they reached the top of the stairs to the actual bleachers. She and James shuffled to where Gwen and Matthew were.

“Tip!” Matthew Weinstein _actually_ stood up. His relief was palpable and Gwen groaned internally.

“You know James, of course, and you’re Gwen Vasquez!” Tippy waved at Gwen as she and Matthew made room for James to sit at the other end, by Gwen.

“ _You’re pathetic_ ,” James whispered through his grin as he settled beside Gwen.

“ _I’d always thought I’d never have to talk to him!_ ,” Gwen whispered back, glad that Matthew and Tippy were preoccupied with settling down as well. James noted how Gwen leaned away from Matthew, like she was afraid to even touch him.

“So, Matthew, you’ve met Gwen before?” James’s voice, loud as usual, made Gwen jump. She would’ve moved away from him and towards Matthew had James not weighed her down with his arm around her. He straddled the seat so he could face everyone.

“Well, sort of...? We’ve never spoken, but I’ve seen you around, of course. Hogwarts has a small student body, right?” he leaned back to include Tippy in the conversation.

“Yeah, I’m sure Gwen and I’ve shared a few classes, right, Gwen?” Tippy replied politely.

“Er, yeah, of course,” Gwen could only nod. There’s a vast difference between amusing your friends or sassing your archenemy, and talking to strangers who happen to be two of the most popular people at school.

“Gwen’s the Hufflepuff Keeper, as well,” James asserted. Gwen wondered, for a moment, if he was _actually_ doing her a favour by mentioning this to Matthew, but she saw he’d said this to Tippy. Of course, the plan.

“Gwen, you’ve got to tell me about you and James,” Tippy said. “You both hated each other, what happened?” she leaned over Matthew, and towards Gwen, conspiratorially, as though they were  best friends gossiping and not just speaking to each other for the first time.

“You could’ve asked me,” James seemed offended. After all, Tippy was _his_ friend.

“Oh no, I want the juicy stuff. You’ve got way too much pride to tell me the whole truth,” she teased.

“Oh yeah,” Gwen saw her opening, “All the things I could tell you about Mr. Inflated Ego over here,” she patted James’s knee beside her, and took up Tippy’s conspiratorial tone. James laughed along, surreptitiously leaning towards Gwen.

“ _What are you doing?_ ” he snarled through gritted teeth.

“ _Milking this_ ,” Gwen snarled right back.

“Alright,” Tippy said, “James and I should get back to practise, but we’ve got to talk again,” she got up then leaned down and gave Matthew a chaste goodbye kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see you later,” James told Gwen, pulling her close to him to kiss her cheek before getting up. Gwen ignored her blush, noticing how Matthew held Tippy’s hand, and how Tippy stared at her and James, fixed smile in place. And through all this, James noticed nothing, as per usual.

Moments later, James was back on the field as Tippy took off to practise snitch catches with another teammate throwing muggle ping pong balls. He flew towards the goal posts where Fred threw him the Quaffle.

“James, you know I hate being the sane one, mate,” Fred said, “but you and Gwen are mental, absolutely mad, and I am going to be there when this blows up in both your faces, and I’ll be saying ‘I told you so’,” he said with a laugh.

“You’re not going to try and talk us out of this?”

“When’s that ever worked?” Fred shrugged.

* * *

 

 “I thought James hated Gwen?” Rose Weasley asked, flipping through a muggle comic book lazily as Al and Scorp practised nonverbally levitating random pebbles. They were at their usual spot under a tree by the Black Lake.

“I’m pretty sure James hasn’t got the emotional depth to realise he’s got feelings for a girl he hates,” Al said absently.

“I don’t know, you’re always quite hard on your brother,” Scorpius looked to Rose for confirmation, but she only smiled disbelievingly at him. There was that masochist in him again. The mad one who loved it when she’d smile at him every time he’d say something ridiculous, which was often.

“James has got the emotional depth of the Giant Squid,” Rose said sarcastically. The three looked towards the lake where the Giant Squid played with a few students. “Correction, the Giant Squid has more emotional depth than James is capable of.” The three sixth years burst out laughing.

“You never know,” Scorp started after a moment. “Sometimes it takes a while to realise you’ve fallen for someone, doesn’t it?” Al snorted involuntarily.

“And you both tease me for being the sappy one,” the distraction made Al drop his pebble. “Bollocks. Rose, how d’you keep your concentration with these things?”

“You’re the Ravenclaw,” she replied. “So’s Scorp and he’s doing just fine,” Rose shrugged. Scorpius flushed with pride.

“You _know_ that’s got nothing to do with _actually_ knowing how to do things,” Al rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, I just hope this isn’t another prank James is pulling on Gwen. She’s a really nice person, and it would suck if James screwed this up,” Rose sighed.

“Or _she_ could be the one pranking  _him_!” Al realised, abandoning his pebble to turn to Rose. “It would be the most cruel revenge,” his eyes gleamed.

“Oh, you’d love that wouldn’t you,” Scorpius said, settling his pebble back to the ground.

“I’m not _that_ much of an arsehole,” Al joked.

“I was sure she had something for your House’s Prefect,” Rose said thoughtfully.

“Matthew Weinstein? How do _you_ know so much about Gwen Vasquez, Rose?” Al asked.

“We happen to be...er...friend-quaintances, Albus,” Rose retaliated.

“Friend...quaintances,” Scorpius repeated.

“We’re sort of friends, sort of just acquaintances, or something in between. Whatever, we’re housemates, and she’s Keeper, and every time James messes with her, she’s always off her game,” Rose threw her hands up in exasperation.

“Merlin, and I thought Al and I were obsessed with Quidditch,” Scorpius teased. Rose flushed.

“Well, considering we’re doing _much_ better than Ravenclaw, I’d _think_ a Ravenclaw Chaser wouldn’t have so much sass about it,” Rose grinned.

“Are you calling me sassy?” Scorpius faked surprise.

“I’m not wrong,” Rose said flippantly.

“Eurg, get a room,” Al scowled.

“Can’t. Non-Hufflepuffs aren’t allowed in our dorms,” Rose deadpanned. Scorpius had been about to protest, but at this point he could only sputter in surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah...I still don't know where I'm going with this. Would appreciate feedback, though :) Thanks for reading!


	3. She's a Keeper, James is Dense (aka, He's a Chaser, Rose is Dense)

"Good morning," Scorpius plopped down next to Rose on the Hufflepuff table.

"French toast, lovely," Albus rubbed his hands together, inadvertently squeezing between two other Hufflepuffs to take the seat across from Rose.

"Welcome, boys," Rose said sarcastically, "Take a seat, why don't you?" at this point, Rose was likelier to be surprised if they actually told her beforehand that they'd be eating at the Hufflepuff table.

"How's Potions? Need any help?" Scorpius asked Rose as he proceeded to heap piles of breakfast-y goodness onto his plate.

"No, I'm doing quite well this year, surprisingly," Rose shrugged, she'd needed some help from Scorpius in the past, but now her Potions grades were finally catching up with the rest of her straight O's.

"Not that surprising. All you needed was some help with technique, everything else was perfect," Scorpius beamed down adoringly at Rose as Albus tried not to roll his eyes and/or gag. The moment Scorpius had confessed to him (in an embarrassing display of emotional abandon), Albus made no efforts to hide his disappointment in Scorpius;  _of course_ he'd fall for their best friend,  _of course_ he'd have to gain Uncle Ron's approval, or whatever,  _of course_ it would all have to be trite and dramatic.

"So, Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw this weekend," Albus interrupted. It seemed he'd inherited his father's reputed "cockblocking" ways.

Immediately, Rose's easygoing manner changed to her not-so-secret competitive streak. There was that telltale gleam in her eye as she said: "May the best house win."

"I take it you  _won't_ be sitting with us at the Ravenclaw bleachers?" Albus teased.

"Unfortunately for you two, I'm quite loyal to Hufflepuff, so you'll have to make do without me...somehow...someway," she pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, sighing dramatically for effect.

"Oh, it's really Scorp I'm worried about. You won't be cheering him on, then?" Scorpius's eyes widened at the "Albus Severus Potter Evil Grin" (TM).

"What?" Scorp did something like a combination of a snort and a chuckle, "She's a Hufflepuff, so of course! And...yeah, 'course, I'll be in Ravenclaw, so, of course! S'not like I was  _expect_ \- er..." he flushed, and then noticed the rows of Hufflepuffs turning to see what his outburst was about.

"Sorry, hi," a meek voice a few people down the table said. "Sorry, but you're at the, er, Hufflepuff table? If you're lost, that one's the Ravenclaw table," she pointed at the Ravenclaw table, trying to help the sad and lost looking boy.

"Um, yeah, we were talking about...the, er, the Quidditch...game," Scorpius cleared his throat, "this weekend," he clarified. He flushed even harder as Rose patted his back consolingly, giving him a side hug. The Hufflepuffs chuckled good-naturedly and returned to their food.

"Well, in that case," the same girl said, smiling sympathetically, "May the best house win!", she turned back to her friends.

" _That was her!_ " Rose whisper-shouted at the two Ravenclaws.

"Her?", this from Albus, leaning across the table.

" _That was Gwen Vasquez!"_

"Yeah, we know her. Small school, and all," Scorpius shrugged, taking advantage of the change in conversation topics to bury his little mess-up as deep down in his memories as possible.

"Yes, but it's just strange. I never thought she'd be a part of my life in this way," Rose smirked at herself.

"Er, what way?" Albus asked.

"I thought you were friends?" Scorp added.

"Friend- _quaintances_ ," Rose clarified.

"That's not a thing. Scorp, tell her it's not a thing,"

"That's not a thing, Rose," but Scorpius was smiling.

"It is, if you're a Hufflepuff," Rose only grinned. "Anyway, it's weird. I never thought I'd have to think of her as someone who's really important to someone else in the family. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, sure," Albus said, "You're friends – sorry,  _friend-quaintances_ – and then, suddenly, you've got to think of them – someone who used to be a neutral person in your life – as the romantic interest of another previously neutral person in your life," Al glanced at Scorpius pointedly. "Now, they're a Thing, as opposed to the two  _separate_ entities they were before."

"Yeah, I guess you could put it that way," Rose shrugged obliviously. Scorpius pulled a face at Albus,  _Really, Al? REALLY?_

* * *

 

_Later That Week_

"I hate your plans. You make shit plans," Gwen said as she and James "hid" in a broom cupboard.

"Excuse you, my plans are fantastic. I've nearly never been caught," James tried to find a more comfortable position that wouldn't flatten him and Gwen.

"James, you once got caught trying to plant a stink bomb on me. D'you have any idea how absolutely  _basic_ that plan was?" Gwen laughed.

"Alright, first of all, fine, I admit, that was not one of my best plans, but," James raised a finger, " _Second of all_ , we  _are_ trying to get caught, aren't we?"

"But  _not_  by a professor," Gwen warned.

"Yeah, 'course-" James abruptly stopped and raised a finger to his lips. He peaked through a crack between the cupboard doors. " _Gryffindor third years,"_  he whispered, and all at once, pulled Gwen in for the snog that the unsuspecting students were supposed to "accidentally" discover.

"Wha-," Gwen's question was interrupted, and she suddenly felt herself giving in to the kiss. It didn't feel as though the world had gone topsy-turvy. On the other hand, it was as though everything had stopped moving. The whole world had gone silent, and all she could hear was her heart beating incessantly in her ears. She could feel herself melting, until James made a noise from the back of his throat that made her pull back.

He looked at her through bleary surprised eyes, glasses smudged and skewed. She was surprised to find her hand tangled in his hair. They pulled apart, trying to catch their breath.

"They're gone," James croaked. He cleared his throat, and then repeated himself. "They've gone."

"Oh, so I suppose it didn't work, then," Gwen coughed.

"Yeah, er...shall we wait for someone else to pass, or...?"

"We should wait. I'm sure someone will come around soon enough," Gwen said. There was a long moment of silence.

"So, big game this weekend," James said.

"Small talk? Really?" Gwen smirked up at him.

"Hey, I should really watch a practise session sometime, for Hufflepuff."

"Why? Tippy won't be there. You really don't have to," Gwen said in a rush.

"Why're you worried? I watch your games all the time. Besides, it would be weird if my girlfriend came to watch me practise, and I couldn't be bothered to go see her's," James nudged her leg with his knee.

"You watch all my games?"

"I watch all the Quidditch matches," James clarified.

"Right, well, official matches and practise runs are  _completely_ different," Gwen insisted. "I'm much better when there's that risk factor, you know? Keeping track of scores just really gets me  _so_...so  _competitive_!" James noticed how her smile then was different from the way she smiled in photographs: less calculated, more natural, all teeth, eyes and nose crinkling. It was a lot like how he understood Gwen: cheerful, bright, and full of complete disregard for how she appeared to others.

"That probably just makes me want to see your practise runs more," James raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, you'd just  _love_ seeing me take a tumble wouldn't you," Gwen bumped his leg with her knee.

"So, you're saying it happens often?" James teased.

"Oh, I am not ashamed, Potter," Gwen feigned pride, "I'm a risk-taker, you know? So what if I fall of my broom trying to stop that Quaffle? All for the love of Quidditch," she tutted theatrically.

"'For the love of Quidditch'," James nodded his head solemnly.

* * *

 

Two things were happening during the Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw game. Thing one was that Gwendolyn Vasquez, Hufflepuff Keeper, was not in the zone. Thing two was that neither was Scorpius Malfoy, Ravenclaw Chaser. So, all-in-all, perhaps both teams were still at par with each other.

Scorpius could not, for the life of him, ignore Rose as she cheered for Gwen to block  _his_ shots. Gwen could not, for the life of her, ignore James, who appeared to be having more fun talking to Tippy on the Gryffindor bleachers than watching her game. What really bothered Gwen, more than anything, was that this tiny fact bothered her at all. Why wasn't Tippy with her boyfriend cheering for the Ravenclaws? Why wasn't James sitting with the Hufflepuffs? Why did Scorpius Malfoy seem to be so mad at her? She caught another Quaffle in the chest. Sure, she kept Malfoy from scoring, but it definitely still hurt.

"I'm sorry!" Scorpius called out as he zoomed past her. He sounded as contrite as you could while flying by at top speed on a broom, but she had to keep her head in the game. Things like that happened in Quidditch all the time, and even worse things. She threw the Quaffle, exerting all her frustrations into that one toss.

"He's not my real boyfriend. We're not really dating. He can sit wherever he wants. It doesn't matter," Gwen muttered this like a mantra, her voice getting louder and surer as she zoned in on the Quaffle headed her way.

"What?!" came a voice from behind her.

Gwen spun around in surprise. Malfoy had snuck up behind her, all this time, to catch the Quaffle and secure the score under her nose. But, just then, the Quaffle that she was supposed to stop, or which Malfoy was supposed to catch, zoomed right past either one, falling heavily towards the ground.

" _What_ was that?!" the announcer relayed. "Vasquez and Malfoy  _both_ let the Quaffle slip. We're not sure why, and-  _Oh, wait_! Here comes Bones with a save!"

"Gwen!" Laura Bones yelled as she swooped low to rescue the Quaffle and charged for the Ravenclaw hoops, calling to her teammates for backup.

"Ah, shit," Gwen exclaimed. It was only pure luck a Ravenclaw Chaser hadn't been faster than Laura, but luck would not secure a win.

Scorpius flew past her; perhaps to catch up to his teammates' pursuit of the Quaffle, but it was too late. A whistle pierced through the air. The snitch had been caught, and it was a win for...Hufflepuff! Gwen sighed in relief, allowing her broom to drift down.

* * *

 

Gwen was fantasizing a nice, long, warm shower as she packed up her sweaty Quidditch things when Laura came up to her. "Someone's asking for you outside," there was nothing noteworthy about what she said, so Gwen assumed it was James.

"Gwen Vasquez?" it was Scorpius Malfoy.

"Oh, hello," Gwen smiled, hoping he hadn't really heard what she thought he'd heard. "Good game," she offered her hand.

"Good game," Scorp shook her hand. Then, not knowing what else to do, and realising Rose and Albus were waiting for him, he decided to just get it over with. "What did you mean he's not your real boyfriend?"

"Oh," Gwen sighed. "So, you really heard."

"What, did you think I was a terrible enough Chaser to just let that Quaffle go?" Scorpius attempted feebly to ease the tension.

"No, well...I was hoping-"

"Gwen!" James called, jogging towards them. "You were amazing!" He was flushed with pride and so very pleased that he lifted Gwen up, sweat and all, for a bear hug.

"I wasn't  _that_ good," Gwen said, as soon as she could breathe again, thinking of the fumble with the Quaffle, "but thank you."

"Scorp! Hey!" James greeted him. They'd known each other well enough since Albus decided he and Scorp were best friends.

"Er, James," Gwen elbowed him, "Scorpius has got something to ask us." James smiled encouragingly at Scorpius as Gwen frowned apologetically, as though she'd done something really really terrible.

"So...you're  _not_ really dating. For absolutely sure.  _Really_."


	4. Boyfrienemy (or, My Best Friend's Hot)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I take too long to update, but thank you for leaving a comment, Alyssa :)

"Oh, boy," James breathed dramatically.

"Yeah..." Gwen agreed. She looked closer and noticed the shadows under James's eyes.

"So...", Scorpius looked from one upperclassman to the other.

"Listen, Scorpius..." Gwen entreated. She led the boys further from the changing rooms. She was trying to buy time for either herself or James to figure a way out, but any further away and they'd have caught up with some of the students who'd lingered post-match.

"Scorp, you fancy Rose, don't you?" James intervened. Scorpius balked.

"Yeah, but...don't try to change the subject!"

"I'm just saying...it's something like that," James said, lowering his voice and eyeing the other students. Gwen eyed him warily.

"What? That doesn't- _Hold on a fucking minute,_ are you...no, that doesn't make sense at all..." Scorpius frowned in concentration, attempting to piece his thoughts together.

"Is he having an aneurysm?" James whispered.

"If we leave now, he may never notice," Gwen replied.

"Merlin," Scorpius rolled his eyes, "how did either of you pass first year?" James and Gwen glanced at each other and shrugged. "And you say you're not really a couple."

"You know, in real life, that whole 'opposites attract' crap never  _really_ pans out well. And that whole love-hate thing's a load of troll vomit," Gwen scrunched her face in amusement.

"Please don't look at me like you're teaching me something," James grimaced.

"So, that means you and Rose have got a  _much_ better chance of going out than James and I ever will," Gwen said, as though coming to a happy conclusion. "I didn't know about that, by the way, that Malfoy fancies your cousin," she added to James, knocking her arm against his. James grinned back, waggling his brows scandalously.

"When did this become about me and...and Rose?! I was just curious. Can't either of you  _ever_ give a straight answer?" Scorpius waved his arms in frustration.

"Hmm, yes," James exaggeratedly brought a hand to his chin, "that dangerous Ravenclaw curiosity's what gets Al in trouble all the time."

"Strange, I was sure it was you," Scorpius deadpanned.

"Alright, alright," Gwen conceded. "James, let's stop playing with our food," she told him, with a playful wink to Scorpius. "James and I fancy other people. We made a deal: I help make Tippy Cornwallis jealous enough to dump Matthew Weinstein for him, and he'll never bother me again. Ever," Gwen shot a pointed look at James, "Never." James mimed taking an arrow to the chest.

"That is..." Scorpius began, " _the single most convoluted plan I've ever heard_ , and History of Magic isn't exactly a collection of the most logical decisions wizardkind has ever made."

"True," Gwen nodded. "Not my idea, though. I'm just going along so that awful prank war can finally end," she rolled her eyes as Scorpius nodded sympathetically.

"So, I'm thinking, you haven't got any reasons to tell anyone about this, really," James said, carefully.

"No, not really, though it'll be difficult to keep it a secret from Al and Rose. I don't usually-", he paused at the exasperated look James threw him.

"Rose  _might actually for once_ think you're interesting if you dropped the puppy dog thing and had some mysterious secret or something," James meant this sarcastically, but Scorpius perked up.

"You think so?" he asked, in a daze, considering possibilities.

"No...not really," Gwen gave him a concerned once-over.

"It just might work," the blond boy mumbled.

"How do you  _always_ manage to drag people into your careless, messy, convoluted schemes?" Gwen asked James.

"I lure them in with their Heart's Desire?" James smirked.

"So...what you're saying is...my Heart's Desire is to be rid of you forever?" James's brow furrowed as he processed this. "No takebacksies!" Gwen cried.

* * *

 

"Al, Rose, wait up!"

"Scorp, where've you been, mate?" Al replied, waiting for Scorpius to catch up.

"Yeah, you took forever cleaning up out of your Quidditch things," Rose chimed in. As a huffing Scorpius caught up, the three made their way to the castle.

"Stilwell cornered me after the game, talked my ear off about that summer internship he's got coming up," Scorpius and Al grimaced.

"I think it's wonderful that Thomas has got a job lined up after school that he's really excited about," Rose told them absently.

"Well he's just bragging though. He'd tell anyone stupid enough to stay put once he gets going," Al grumbled. Thomas Stilwell had once interrupted him just as he'd been about to talk to some Gryffindor classmate he'd wanted to ask out.

"Anyway, it was a good game today, Scorp. You played well, but..." Rose waved her Hufflepuff banner at him ruefully.

"Yeah, good game," Scorpius shrugged. He wished he could figure out how to make himself more interesting to Rose.

* * *

 

James and Gwen had made it a habit to occasionally eat at each other's house tables. This particular Sunday morning, the day after the Hufflepuff/Ravenclaw match, James sat wearily beside Gwen for breakfast. He pressed his forehead to the top of her head as she speared a bunch of fruit slices with her fork and nibbled on them like a kabob.

"What's wrong? I thought we were having  _lunch_  together, not breakfast?" Gwen finally asked. James lifted his head to fill his plate and Gwen saw how tired he looked. "Oh, Merlin, James..."

"That bad?" he pulled a face at her as he loaded his plate with carbs and heavy breakfast food. "I thought I might sit here for breakfast. I spent all night going over plays for the Slytherin game, and I am  _not_ up for answering questions about it, just this morning."

"So...you're avoiding your team?" Gwen looked genuinely, completely, confused. "Since when do you avoid confrontation?"

"Since I realised I could conveniently escape to...well, here," James grinned and gestured at the table of oblivious Hufflepuffs. Gwen noted that her own friends had turned away to speak to each other and give her and her fake boyfriend some privacy.

"You're really worried about that game, aren't you?"

"Scouts are coming to see me play," James's brow creased as he focused on his food.

"James, that's wonderful!" Gwen said earnestly. James stopped eating and turned to her.

"Well..." he smiled wryly, "they're here to see if Harry Potter's son is good enough to add to their roster, y'know, add a crowd-drawing name, and all that. I'd like to show them I'm better than that."

"You are," Gwen insisted, rubbing his back soothingly, "trust me. You know I just  _hate_ complimenting you." They gave each other matching grins, and just at that moment, Gwen felt a twinge in her chest, and a sudden urge to plant the most innocent kiss on James's cheek.

"Thanks, Gwen. You're the best," James said, and for the benefit of those looking, kissed her on the temple. Gwen's heart skipped a beat.  _Shit_ , she thought,  _shit shit shit._

* * *

 

Rose watched as Scorpius took down notes from various resource books at the library. He was quite organised about his schoolwork, and he liked to compile notes before actually writing his papers. Rose, on the other hand, found she couldn't really enjoy what she was reading when she had to think about how she'd work it into her essays. While Scorp preferred to use facts to explain things in an orderly fashion, Rose preferred to write about connections, observations, and possibilities that no one had considered yet.

However, Rose wasn't thinking about this, at that moment. There were very few people who willingly spent Sunday afternoons at the library. Scorpius was one such person; Rose was not. Al  _definitely_ was not, and therefore wasn't with Rose and Scorp at the library. So, what  _was_ Rose doing at the library on a Sunday afternoon? Getting maddeningly distracted from her homework, of course.

"It's getting so much colder these days," Rose whispered aloud to stop her train of thought. She forced her gaze away from the perfect slope of her friend's nose, the way his lips and cheeks begged for her to kiss them... Rose inhaled sharply, imperceptibly.

"It's almost winter," Scorp replied obligingly, smiling up from his notes. "Are you cold?" his concern touched her, and reminded Rose why she couldn't kiss him, no matter how much his lovely face begged. She would never risk their friendship.

"No, I'm fine," she smiled in that wistful way that, unbeknownst to her, made Scorp feel exactly as she did whenever he turned his attention to her, which was a fluttering in the stomach, and a tightening in the chest.

"It'll probably be snowing on the next Hogsmeade visit," Scorp commented.

"Yeah, it'll be nice. We could freeze our faces off outside, and then warm ourselves with all the butterbeer we could possibly stomach," Rose giggled.

"Al will want to scare a few first years at the Shrieking Shack, of course," Scorp rolled his eyes.

"Of course," Rose nodded, though she briefly considered ditching Al, altogether, and spending the weekend with just Scorpius. Across the table, Scorpius considered the way Rose looked dreamily outside the window. It was depressingly cold and cloudy at that moment, and weeks away from Christmas cheer, and the next Hogsmeade visit.

"Let's go for a walk," Scorp suggested.

"What?"

"You look like you're just about dying to leave the library," he laughed.

"You're crazy. We'll freeze our tits off outside," Rose protested, but she was laughing too, and already packing up her things.

Once outside, the pair stood just by one of the castle's exits. It had begun to rain, and there was no sign of it stopping. Likely, it would rain that whole week, well into the weekend, which was the Gryffindor/Slytherin game, just before the ceaseless torrent would mellow out into frigid snowfall.

Rose shivered and pressed against the warmth of Scorpius's side. He wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer.


	5. Beautiful Cinnamon Roll Too Good For This World, Too Pure

It was after final practise, that Thursday evening, when James knew he’d lucked out. He’d been just the tiniest bit disappointed when Gwen hadn’t been at practise, though he’d conceded that it was raining way too hard for her to even bother. Unluckily for Gwen, James didn’t have the presence of mind to wonder why he was even disappointed. Tippy was present and accounted for, after all. As the team trudged, muddily and soaked through with rain, into the castle, they spied about four shadowy figures huddled just inside.

“Matty!” Tippy cried, jogging with renewed energy into the castle. She stopped just short of embracing her boyfriend, grime and all. The rest of the team followed.

“Hot chocolate?”, Matty offered her a mug of steamy, chocolaty goodness poured from a large thermos.

“Oh, you sweetheart!,” Tippy said, accepting the drink and humming contentedly as she took a long sip.

“It was Gwen’s idea. Turns out, it’s true Hufflepuffs know where the kitchens are,” Matthew looked to Gwen, and James, for all his sensitivity to these things, sensed a new friendship there.

“Yup, I thought it would be nice,” Gwen shrugged, looking conspiratorially to James as she handed him a mug. He accepted it gratefully; glad he was fake-dating an incredibly thoughtful person. The other two figures turned out to be boyfriends of two other players, and they helped distribute the drink to the rest of the team.

Gwen watched Matty and Tippy huddled and whispering to each other, and realised how futile James’s ploy really was. Matthew and Tippy were far too good and far too in love to split over something so juvenile. She’d realised it just when she and Matty were in the kitchens, and all he could talk about was Tippy Cornwallis. Gwen was turning, sadly, to James, contemplating how he would take this, but he was already looking at her.

“What?” she asked, more as a reflex than anything else. She turned fully so that she was facing him, and him her.

“Hm? Oh, I was thinking of Saturday,” James whispered, which was uncharacteristic of him. Like the rest of the team, they were seated in the hallway, Gryffindor team dripping mud and water.

“Still losing sleep, then? That’s not good,” Gwen pointed out.

“I’ll get enough sleep before the game,” James assured them both.

“You know, would you trust me to use a spell to clean all this,” Gwen gestured to the mud and James, in general, “up? Just...it would be a terrible hassle for Filch, and you’re shivering like a wet puppy, and I am feeling sorry for you, which is not fun,” Gwen scrunched her face up comically at him. James contemplated the consequences of Gwen pointing her wand at him and potentially making some mistake.

“Go ahead,” he shrugged, grinning that careless grin that, curiously, made Gwen feel more at ease about his well-being.

“ _Tergeo_ ”, Gwen’s wand siphoned off most of the mud and water on and around James before the spell gave out.

“Better,” he smiled tiredly. The spell quickly made its way through the group as people started cleaning up after themselves.

Impulsively, and because everyone else was too caught up in their conversations to notice, Gwen placed her warm palms on James’s cheeks. “Much better?” she asked, leaning across his lap to reach him.

“Much better,” he agreed, leaning closer so she wouldn’t have to reach so far.

“I’m trying...,” Gwen’s throat felt suddenly thick, “I’m trying to remember why we were never friends.”

“Are you saying we’re friends _now_?”, James asked, cheekily.

“Hmph, yes, I guess so...,” Gwen’s brow furrowed as she pretended to find this annoying.

“I think it was because you were being a stubborn killjoy,” James said slowly, with mock seriousness. He leaned his elbows on his crossed legs, holding Gwen’s warm warm hands to his face, occasionally running his thumbs over the backs of her fingers.

“Oh, really?” Gwen pretended her breath wasn’t catching in her throat, “ _I_ think it was because you were being very very rude, and also mean,” Gwen’s brain scrambled for any semblance of eloquence as their faces neared each other’s.

“Oi! You two!,” James and Gwen turned sharply to Freddie, “Get a room!” The hallway erupted in wolf whistles as James grinned defiantly at his cousin, and Gwen reddened, realising the path she’d set herself on. James set down Gwen’s hands, and gave a quick peck to her forehead to appease whoever was watching. Gwen was still recovering.

“Hey, I think I’ve still got schoolwork to catch up on tonight, and you really ought to shower,” Gwen wrinkled her nose, grinning hollowly.

“You alright?” James asked.

“Yep! Just thinking I should _really_ stop cramming things so much,” she rolled her eyes, hopping up to her feet, and saying a quick goodbye to everyone, explaining herself away. James, brought the mug of now-cold chocolate closer, suddenly feeling chilly.

* * *

 

“Rose, over here!”, Al called out. It was customary for Rose to sit with her cousin during non-Hufflepuff games, just because her Hufflepuff friends were not particularly huge quidditch fans, anyway. They were more very close friends due to circumstance; circumstance being that they’d shared a room since first year. Presently, Al and Scorp made room between themselves for her to sit.

“Rose, you know Dottie Stilwell? Thomas’s sister?” Rose greeted Dottie cheerily, peering at her in the dimness of the bleachers which were covered with an awning due to rain. Anyway, of course Rose knew Dottie. She was the very Gryffindor girl Al had been pursuing when Thomas Stilwell interrupted him.

“Dottie, why aren’t you cheering with the Gryffindors?” Scorpius leaned over Rose to ask the girl beside Al. He jumped at Rose’s elbow against his side.

“What?” he whispered into Rose’s ear as the game was about to begin.

“Because she’s here with Al,” Rose whispered back, happy to see Al and Dottie distracted away from Scorp’s sudden question. Scorpius could only hum a vague response back. He and Rose turned to the game, both hyper aware of each others’ every move; both glad for the cold and darkness to hide their obvious blushes and awkwardness. Keeping up this friendship was getting harder for both of them, unfortunately for them, Al had no idea of Rose’s feelings or he would’ve gladly been more pragmatic about the situation and just out-ed them both.

 _No problem if I lean closer, right? For warmth, for- Oh! Dear, Merlin, James you could do better- for a better view of the game? He wouldn’t notice? –Tippy, for fuck’s sake, the snitch is_ right _behind you! My goodness..._ Rose thought as she leaned closer to Scorpius. In response, Scorpius only stood up straighter, believing Rose was so focused on the match, she wasn’t aware of herself. He jumped, suddenly, feeling the side of Rose’s hand against his. Rose immediately straightened back up. _I have made a terrible mistake...But not as terrible as_ that _one_ , Rose laughed to herself as a Slytherin Chaser fumbled the Quaffle, slippery with rain.

“Whoa,” Scorpius whispered.

“What?” Rose asked, eyes still glued to the game.

“Did you just snicker villainously?”

“What? No, I...I’m happy Gryffindor got that point...” Rose replied absently, all thoughts of Scorpius flying out the window as the game became more intense. She was at the literal edge of her seat, when Freddie saved the Quaffle hurtling towards his goal posts, and Rose stood up cheering with everyone on the Ravenclaw side cheering for Gryffindor. Scorpius, knowing exactly that Rose was getting sucked into the thrill of the game, as usual, only chuckled softly in response.

“Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod,” Rose muttered. Slytherin and Gryffindor were tied now, with each team’s Seekers racing for the snitch, and either team trying to out-do each other with the Quaffle. Even Scorpius was focused more on the game unfolding before them. James Potter was on a rampage with that Quaffle, and there was nothing the Slytherin Keeper could do to stop him. Then again, the whole school knew why those _actual professional scouts_ were really here. And even with Gryffindor in the lead, Tippy Cornwallis, with all her brilliance, caught the snitch centimetres from the ground, tumbled off her broom, winning the match for Gryffindor!

Dottie, Al, and Rose were on their feet once more, cheering, and Scorpius, still stunned by the quickness and ferocity of Gryffindor’s attack, stood up slowly and clapped along. As the crowd settled down and started to empty the stands, Scorpius caught and elated James Potter running to Gwen and promptly kissing the embarrassed Hufflepuff.

“You alright?” Rose turned to Scorpius as they shuffled along to the exits.

“What? Yeah, just distracted,” he shrugged in a way that seemed to him to suggest a quiet mystery, but which to Rose suggested some suspicious secret. She leaned around him and saw only that down below was the Gryffindor team being swamped by friends and significant others.

“Oh, we better congratulate James before the team leaves to change,” Rose said, shrugging.

* * *

 

“You were brilliant! Absolutely brilliant. I was alsmot sort of scared for Slytherin. It was intense,” Gwen gushed inside the Gryffindor changing room. She didn’t seem to mind the smell of sweat and mud, or that James was about to change out of his Quidditch things in front of her.

“Really? You promise, it was that good?” James plopped down onto the bench, straddling it to face her.

“I promise,” she grinned, “I’m almost happy Hufflepuff is coming in second place this year. I’m just happy the game finished quickly, so the gap between our total points isn’t so large,” she raised a brow at him.

“Well, if it weren’t for Freddie, I’d be a hundred percent sure you’d win Keeper of the Year, anyway,” she blushed and turned away as James stood and began unself-consciously removing his clothes, top first.

“You know I wouldn’t mind if you snuck a peek,” James teased.

“I’d rather not, thank you,” Gwen said, tapping her comically large umbrella on the ground and looking blankly ahead.

“I’m meeting the scouts after I change, d’you mind? Or, or, you could go ahead, I suppose. You probably wouldn’t want to wait, not that I’d mind if you’d hang around here while I do talk to them, I suppose...?” James babbled on, and Gwen felt his nervousness overflowing. Already, the tent was emptying. Tippy and a few others had, without changing, gone on ahead to see Madam Pomfrey.

“No, I don’t mind waiting for you,” Gwen assured him. “I _am_ an incredibly wonderful, generous, kind soul, of course,” she quickly added.

“And thank you, for that,” James said, playing along.

After he’d finished changing, James signalled to Professor Longbottom, Head of Gryffindor House, that he was ready to meet the scouts. They were ushered in, and Professor Longbottom officially introduced them to James, with James introducing Gwen as his girlfriend (cue blush). Gwen made a very proper half-joke about being there for moral support (cue very proper laughter). And then, well, there was a lot of talk about contracts, but of course, they’d talk about more on that much later on, but yes, there was a bright future ahead for James.

After the meeting, James and Gwen walked back, under Gwen’s now not-so-comically large, in fact, very convenient umbrella, and James could barely control his excitement about the prospect of professionally playing Quidditch.

“-oh, and I’ll have to tell dad! He’ll be so proud! I’ll save the news for later, Christmas break! I’ll tell the whole family then! Oh, speaking of, you’ll have to come with me for the St. Mungo’s Charity Dinner over break. Mum will be so happy, I bet! She used to play professionally, you kno-?” James would’ve gone on, but Gwen had spoken up suddenly.

“Wait, what? I didn’t think your family did fancy dinners? I thought your parents were all about privacy and all that? What?”

“The Weinstein’s are going, and Matthew’s taking Tippy,” James said. “Mum and Dad do sometimes go to the charity stuff, anyway, so I thought we should go as well?”

“Well, I’ve never really been to a fancy ‘Dinner’ that gets media coverage and everything...”

“Don’t worry, it’s pretty much just a boring dinner party where stuffy old people compare wallets in the name of charity,” James said, shrugging.

“Do I really have to...? I don’t even know what to wear...or...would I even know which fork to use?” Gwen said in a tiny voice.

“I’ll have your back, okay?” James reassured her. “Besides, if it helps you with Matthew Weinstein...” They’d reached the entrance back to school and James closed the umbrella. Gwen took it from him and tapped the excess water off against the ground.

“ _Tergeo_ ,” she cleaned up the puddle, though the umbrella remained a bit damp. James realised she genuinely didn’t want to make Filch’s life more trouble than it was already.

“That’s the thing,” Gwen said into the empty corridor. “I don’t even really fancy Matty as much as I should, anymore,” she made a face that was half grin, half grimace. James didn’t know how to respond to that, realised he’d never really believed that Gwen had any serious intentions towards Weinstein, and only shrugged in response. Gwen laughed, “But I’m still keen on you leaving me alone forever.”

“So you’ll come with me, then, to the Dinner?”

“Yeah, sure, when is it? I’m betting I haven’t got anything planned for that evening, anyway,” Gwen sighed.

“You’re the best,” James said, knowing completely that he meant it too.


	6. Obligatory Post-/Party Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy (?) fan-service-y filler chapter...but thEN IT BECAME SOMETHING MORE???

Sunday was recovery day, for most of the upperclassmen. In true Gryffindor form, your standard, alcohol-fuelled celebration was boldly held in school that Saturday evening, technically Sunday morning. Sunday was spent missing breakfast and nursing hangovers. Gwen was not exempt. She sat up and tried to remember the night before.

The party was at Gryffindor Tower...there was mostly dancing, music, shouting... Gwen tried to recall if she’d done anything stupid. Nothing she could recall, so far...

**Saturday Night**

“You are _so_ lucky, you’ve got party ready hair,” Jackie Somers, one of Gwen’s roommates cooed absently as the seventh year Hufflepuff girls got ready for the party.

“Thanks, that almost makes up for how annoying it is when I fly,” Gwen joked.

“Party ready hair?  She’s lucky she’s dating James fucking Potter!” another one of Gwen’s friends, Ruthie, interjected.

 _Here we go again_ , Gwen rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

“No, girl,” called another friend, this one named Megan, “ _he’s_ lucky, he’s dating Gwendolyn fucking Vasquez,” from her mirror, Megan winked playfully at Gwen.

“Aw, Meg, you always have my back,” Gwen played along.

“Alright, witches!” another girl barged into the room, Hazel McKeen, “Time for some pre-party drinks!”

“Ah, thank Merlin!” said the last of Gwen’s roommates, a girl named Naomi. Hazel was showered with praise and thanks as she passed a small bottle from who-knows-where around the group.

“Okay, now, we shut up, and party,” said Hazel.

**Technically, Sunday Morning**

“Has anyone told you how good you look tonight?”

“Whu-?” Gwen stopped dancing to squint at the underclassman attempting to drunkenly whisper in her ear. “You...are so bad at that,” Gwen said in a burst of giggles. Melvin the Beater furrowed his brow in confusion. “I’m sorry, I’m...I’m a mean drunk,” Gwen apologised, “I’m not that drunk, though,” she shook her head clumsily.

“Hullo, Melvin,” James appeared from somewhere in the crowd, throwing an arm over Gwen.

“Hiya...I was just...,” Melvin mumbled, realising his mistake, and scuttling away.

“Here, drink this,” James offered, and Gwen unquestioningly complied.

“What? That’s just water!” Gwen cried, genuinely offended. “Here, drink this,” she mimicked James, offering him her cup of firewhiskey.

“No, I’m thinking...” James started, a little drunk, himself. “You’d have to go back to Hufflepuff, amiright? How’re you gonna do that drunk? So, you gotta sober up a bit.”

“I’m alright! Drink this,” James shrugged and downed the entirety of Gwen’s drink, much to her delight. She laughed and crowed, and pulled James into a dark corner. There were many of those.

**Sunday Morning, For Real**

She was sitting up on a bed. There was an arm draped over her waist. She was _still_ in the Gryffindor dorms. Gwen willed her sluggish, aching brain to be more concerned about this than it was. As of that moment, all Gwen really wanted was to go back to sleep.

“Stop moving,” James said blearily from beside Gwen. _Now_ , her brain was as concerned as it should be.

“Ohgod-“

“Nothing happened, I promise,” the same sleepy voice.

“He’s right,” came a voice from outside the scarlet and gold drapes, shut tight against the sunlight filtering in.

“Freddie, shut it. You’re...too...loud...” James, again.

“I’m just saying: He’s right,” the drapes parted to show Fred Weasley’s unbelievably cheery face, “Nothing happened. You’d passed out, _as usual_ , so we brought you here. Your friend, Naomi, knows. _About_ your friend, Naomi-“

“Fred!,” James cried, trying to convey how much he didn’t need sunlight and noise just right now. Fred took a look from James, arm still around Gwen’s waist, and Gwen, heavy head lolling. He gave her a quick shrug and left, shutting the drapes, tight.

“You wanna lie down?” Gwen looked down and saw that James was tiredly looking up at her. She nodded, and decided, just this once she’d like to act against all reason. She nodded and laid down beside him, pressing her face to his chest to block out the sunlight.

“I still hate you, but thanks,” Gwen said weakly. She felt she ought to clarify things, but couldn’t think how else to say it.

**Technically, Sunday Morning**

“You’re too tall,” Gwen said, tiptoeing, balancing on his shoulders, now his chest. James bent down obligingly, arms around her waist, now lower. And this kiss was so much more uninhibited, less calculated. It wasn’t for show.

“Gwen?” James gasped as they came up for air, panting heavily.

“Yeah?”

“Gwen,” he said, again, for no particular reason, but impulse. And then they were kissing again, and he could feel her humming in delight, and that alone made it all the better.

**Sunday Afternoon**

“Here, drink this,” on the edge of his bed, Gwen started. That sentence, again. James was sitting in front of his open trunk. They were alone in the room.

“Hangover potion?” Gwen didn’t need to ask. She gratefully took a swig from the bottle. James took another, and then returned the stopper-ed bottle into his trunk. He remained seated there, while Gwen avoided eye contact.

Finally, James cleared his throat, and said: “You’re a good kisser,” just like that, matter-of-factly.

“Th-thanks?” Gwen considered all the possible ways he could embarrass her, a leftover habit from their prank war days.

“No, I’m serious,” James offered her a sincere smile.

“Thank you,” after some thought, “so are you.”

“What do you want to do-?”

“Sweep it under the rug,” Gwen blurted, then regretted saying it at all.

“Alright, fine by me,” James nodded in acknowledgment.

“It’s not like we’ve never snogged before,” Gwen reasoned.

“Absolutely,” James agreed. There was another long moment of silence. James moved to sit beside Gwen, and immediately, she shot up off the bed.

“Sorry! I-“

“It’s okay,” James grimaced. “Look, maybe we just need to get it out of our system.”

“Right!” Gwen nodded too quickly. “Then it’ll stop bothering us.”

“Yeah,” James agreed, “So...,” James took Gwen’s hand in his, fully expecting her to sit back down. To his surprise, she moved in front of him. She was short enough to lean only a little lower before they were kissing again. This time they were slower, savouring the kiss, they were getting it out of their system, after all.

“Are we good?” Gwen asked, pulling away in a daze.

“...Yeah, yes,” James said.

“Yeah,” Gwen said.

 _Shit_ , they both thought.

* * *

 

_Later_

“I told you so,” Fred insisted as he and James scoped the map James nicked from his dad’s office the previous summer. Now that Quidditch season was over, James could go over the Marauder’s Map and plan new ways to do no good.

“It’s just physical, though,” James insisted. “She still loathes me and Tippy and I are still perfect for each other. Besides, we were fake-dating. It was bound to happen,” he occupied himself with the map, regretting broaching the topic with Freddie.

Meanwhile, at the approximate opposite end of the castle, Gwen sat in the Hufflepuff common room, wondering who she could confide in. Who could she absolutely trust wouldn’t judge her or tell anyone? How was it possible that she could be friends with pretty much everyone in her house and everyone her year, but not have a _best_ friend? There were her roommates, but they weren’t her best friends, not really. They were her _closest_ friends, but for some reason, she didn’t feel like she could tell them what was going on. There were too many of them for the secret to stay a secret if she told them, anyway.

Gwen thought maybe she ought to write to her younger sister at home, who went to a big muggle school, and sometimes seemed more grown-up than her. Claire, perhaps, would know what to do. But then Gwen realised her mum and dad would want to read what she’d sent home. That was too risky. And so that left her last resort...but how in the world would she manage to catch Scorpius Malfoy without either Albus or Rose?

* * *

 

“Hi,”

“Fu-! Merlin!,” Scorpius hissed. As Gwen eventually worked out, the only place she’d be able to find Scorpius alone was in the library.

“I’m sorry, I need to talk,” Gwen brought both palms up. Apologising for accidentally sneaking up behind him while he perused the bookshelves.

“About what?”

“What else?” Gwen deadpanned.

“Yes, but why?”

“Because there are...new developments...complications...” Gwen averted her eyes, crossing her arms.

“I didn’t ask to be kept updated,” Scorpius shrugged.

“Yes, but I need someone to talk to,” Gwen pleaded.

“I am _not_ going to be your confidant in this. I barely know you, and...and I’m really bad at keeping secrets,” Scorpius huffed. He definitely did not like admitting his short-comings.

“I haven’t got anyone else to talk to about this,” Gwen rolled her eyes defiantly, “Look, I’m not trying to make you my bloody gay best friend, or something, I just need to talk to someone about things that perhaps fall in that particular department.”

“I’m not gay, though,” Scorpius said.

“Well, yes, but like I said...”

“I think I know who could help you, but you might not...”

“I’m not telling more people about this mess, forget it,” Gwen started to turn away.

“It’ll make things much easier for me, so I thought that’d be a plus,” Scorp pointed out.

“Just out of curiosity...”

“Rose Weasley,” Scorp admitted.

"I'll...consider it. I  _really_ need to talk to someone or I'll explode," Gwen sighed. "Alright, thanks," she waved goodbye half-heartedly and left the library. If it was going to be anyone, it might as well be someone who knew James well enough to understand why she could never ever admit she maybe might be harbouring feelings for him.  _Maybe_.


	7. Ooh, Somebody Loves You! (or, The Obligatory Hogsmeade Chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for all the bad jokes in advance :( also, just tons of swearing in this one, for some reason. And yes, this chapter is named after a song (Somebody Loves You by Betty Who), because cheesy fake-dating trope fic.
> 
> And thank you for the new kudos, and to einibeinipunkyfauchi for leaving a comment!

“Heya,” Gwen greeted the Gryffindor dinner crowd as she took her seat beside James.

“Don’t make plans for this weekend,” James immediately replied.

“What, are we going on a double date with Matty and Tippy?,” Gwen didn’t miss a beat.

“I’ve got a Hosmeade Weekend Surprise for you,” James whispered, and Gwen could practically feel the necessary capital letters. She looked up at him with a quizzical smile.

“Oh, God, you’re serious,” she realised.

“Well, why not? You’ve been such a good sport, and I just thought you’d really like this,” James replied, as though him being actually _nice_ to her, no questions asked, no catch, wasn’t the strangest thing in the world.

“You thought I’d ‘really like it’?,” Gwen repeated in disbelief.

“Yeah, you’ll see,” and he had the cheek to wink at her as he turned back to his food.

“Alright, but I’m not waking up early for this,” Gwen conceded.

At the Ravenclaw table, Albus was wondering if he was being generous or sadistic, and concluded he was both. He’d just told Scorpius that he had a date with Dottie Stilwell that weekend, thus dooming him to, at least, an afternoon alone with Rose.

“You could’ve told me sooner,” Scorpius admonished, going paler than Albus thought humanely possible, considering Scorp was already pale to begin with.

“What, so you could make up some terrible excuses to cancel on Rose?”

“Exactly that, you smug arse,” Scorpius groaned.

“Think about it, Scorp. How’s this any different from being alone with Rose in the library?”

“Er, keeping up a conversation, nothing to pretend you’re distracted with...,” Scorpius listed.

“So, actually talking to her,” Al surmised. “Just start with her bloody Chocolate Frog card collection, you’ll be _begging_ her to shut up.”

* * *

 

“It’s...empty...! Yeah...!,” Gwen called sarcastically into the empty Great Hall. Well, nearly empty, save for James standing smugly in the centre. It was the expected outcome of staying behind while everyone 3rd year and above left for Hogsmeade.

“The castle is nearly completely empty,” James announced, letting his words sink in.

“I don’t know about you, James, but last year, I slid around the castle in my socks one weekend. Almost scared a few first years shitless,” Gwen nodded, recalling falling on top of one particular first year. She walked slowly towards James, still wary.

“Cute,” James allowed, “but have you ever been to the Room of Requirement?”

“Well...,” Gwen thought, “I know _some_ people who have...”

“Yeah, students started poking around after the Second Wizarding War, so it’s been pretty crowded in there, lately...but guess which clever seventh years have got free run of the castle today?”

“You know where it is?” Gwen lost all pretence of coolness and asked eagerly.

“Seventh floor. And I’ll take you, y’know, just ‘cause I’m brilliant,” James beamed.

“Hold on, we’re making a quick trip to the kitchens, first,” Gwen asserted, now completely preoccupied with the idea of the Room of Requirement.

“Gwen, we _just_ had breakfast,” James deadpanned.

“You’re telling me that the room’s on the seventh floor, and you _don’t_ want to bring some food along, just in case?” Gwen asked in disbelief. “The room can’t _make_ food, right? It’s against the laws of magic, or whatever?”

“It’s one of five Principal Exceptions to Gamp’s Law of Elemental Transfiguration,” James blurted out.

“Well, look who’s already studied for his NEWTs,” Gwen said, duly impressed.

“I thought seventh year was for studying for NEWTs? Aunt Hermione made it sound so urgent...”

“What?”

“You’re right. Kitchens, first. Let’s go!” and just like that, they were off to bother some house elves.

* * *

 

“So, Al and Dottie, how long has that gone on?” Rose asked after yet another uncomfortable silence.

“Well, he’s fancied her a year, maybe? Yeah?” Scorpius trudged through the snow, trying to keep calm and act normal, instead looking all brooding and staring into the middle distance. There was a reason he was popular, after all, despite the single-minded nerdiness. Awkward turned to eccentric, weird into mysterious. It hardly ever fooled Rose.

“You ever heard the one about the lizards on the wall?” Rose asked, suddenly.

“No...?”

“Well, alright. There are ten lizards on a wall. One does a back flip. How many are left?”

“Wha-? Is this a trick question?” Scorpius said, already thinking about the solution. He opened the door to their first destination, Honeydukes.

“No. Do you give up?” Rose asked, impatiently.

“No, hold on,” Scorpius multitasked thinking up an answer and choosing sweets to store up until winter holidays.

“Come on, you’ll never guess,” Rose rolled her eyes at how much effort Scorpius was putting into this.

“How many, then?” Scorpius sighed.

“None, they all clapped,” Rose said, clearly satisfied with herself. She was chuckling under her breath.

“What?” Scorpius’s brow wrinkled in confusion. Rose sighed good-naturedly.

“You spent too much time thinking about it, now it’s not funny anymore,” Rose faked offence.

“There were ten lizards on the wall,” Scorpius repeated, “one did a backflip. There were none left because they all clapped...” Scorpius allowed a sarcastic snort at the joke.

“That’s all? No giggle or chuckle? It was funny!” Rose teased.

“You’re right, I thought too hard about it,” Scorpius admitted. Rose’s failed joke did its job of easing the tension between the two, and they proceeded to the other shops around Hogsmeade.

* * *

 

“-anyway, Hagrid doesn’t go out much, these days. He’s a bit older now, so he just goes to see Grawp. He doesn’t go gambling for dragon eggs anymore,” James chuckled, “and we drop by sometimes, to see how he’s doing. He spoils the hell out of Lily, but he gets a bit nervous around Scorp. Bad history there, I suppose,” James reached out for a crisp from the large bowl between them, spilling crumbles over the carpeted floor.

It was a regular old sleepover inside the Room of Requirement, that afternoon. Gwen had asked for a panoramic view of the grounds covered in snow, the lake frozen over now, and central heating, which Hogwarts didn’t have because of that charm against muggle technology, but which the Room tried to simulate anyway. Gwen alternated between pressing her face against the wall of windows and laughing at James’s jokes about his big, boisterous family.

“What do you do when you’re back home? Away from Hogwarts and...and magic?” James asked timidly.

“Mmm...my parents are both veterinarians, which is fun. I grew up with around three different dogs at a time, back home, so I spend time with them, and I help around at the animal clinic. Getting a pet owl wasn’t even a problem. They helped me learn about care and maintenance...My parents, not the owl,” Gwen sat on the floor on the other side of the bowl of crisps. “I have a younger sister, Claire, and she’s really smart and talented, but we haven’t been talking much,” her brow furrowed.

“Do you have a lot of relatives?” James asked, rolling onto his back like a tired old dog and watching her upside-down.

“I’m supposed to have these huge families on both sides, but my parents had to move away before I was born...as in here, to a different country, so I’ve never met them,” Gwen took a sip of warm tea, then plopped onto her stomach, facing James. “I used to bake,” Gwen offered.

“Were you any good?” James turned over onto his stomach to face her.

“Absolutely terrible,” Gwen laughed, prompting James to join in. “It kept me busy, but whatever I made was always too salty, or my gingerbread cookies were too ginger-y. I had to stop, I was just so bad!,” another round of laughter.

“But you liked it, though. You had fun?” James said, after the giggling subsided.

“I had fun. It made the house smell good too, even though the cookies were shit,” Gwen insisted. “My sister used to act like I was feeding her poison. She was sort of my guinea pig,” she giggled.

“It can’t have been _that_ bad,” said James.

“Is that a dare?”

“Be careful, you know I can’t resist idiotic challenges,” James joked.

“But is it?,” Gwen quirked an eyebrow.

“I’ll take you up on that someday,” said James. There were a few beats of comfortable silence.

“D’you know any mugggle music?,” Gwen asked.

“D’you know how to dance like a complete idiot to the best music ever?,” James replied.

* * *

 

Rose and Scorpius could barely manage a half hour of “keeping tabs” on Al’s progress with Dottie without actually getting bored and abandoning the little game. It took them an entire half hour to realise Al was so wrapped up in his date he’d never notice their blatant attempts to catch his attention at inopportune moments.

“Apparently, many muggles are already aware of the health properties of different herbs and things, but their methods are just all wrong...and all over the place, which makes sense, because they haven’t got magical methods...”

“Scorp,” Rose said. They were huddled in one of the Three Broomsticks’ warmer booths.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to make my _last_ dumb joke for the day. I promise, it’s the last one,” Rose grinned up at him. Scorpius narrowed his eyes in pretend suspicion.

“Alright. One last dumb joke,” he finally said.

“Give me your hand,” Rose ordered with her own palm up expectantly. Scorpius’s eyes narrowed in very real suspicion, but gave her his hand, anyway.

“Alright, pretend this is Scotland,” she brushed Scorpius’s palm, and he felt his face warm. “Now take the tiny part that’s Hogsmeade, and throw the rest of Scotland away,” Rose did some picking and throwing gestures that Scorpius copied.

“Now, inside Hogsmeade,” Rose placed the imaginary Hogsmeade onto his palm, “Take the Three Broomsticks and throw away the rest of Hogsmeade,” the same gestures.

“Now, this is the Three Broomsticks,” Rose mimed dropping something into Scorp’s palm. “Blow on it.”

“What?” Scorp asked, but Rose only pushed his open palm to him...so of course he blew.

“Brrr, getting colder in here?,” Rose didn’t miss a beat.

“That...was the worst one yet,” Scorpius decided, but he still draped a warm arm over Rose’s shoulder, so for all intents and purposes, Rose declared the joke a success.

* * *

 

It was some time before dinner when Gwen realised what she truly, absolutely, direly needed was a large trampoline, which the Room was kind enough to provide. This, of course, meant skipping dinner to gorge on more snack foods, and bounce around while cheesy pop songs blared in the background.

“Y’know...,” Gwen spoke in-between bounces, “it’s weird...how this...isstillfun...even...after...Quidditch?!”

“What?” James asked as he lay flat on his back on the trampoline, careful to keep from falling off or having Gwen land on him. With a loud “Oof!”, Gwen allowed herself to land, panting and butt first, onto the trampoline.

“It’s weird how bouncing on a trampoline is still fun, even when you could easily fly a broom,” Gwen explained.

“Well, it’s different, yeah?,” James thought some more on it. “You’re not falling when you’re on a broom. If you’re good, you’re pretty much in control. When you’re on a trampoline...,” and here he propped himself up on his elbows to look at Gwen, with her sweaty, red face, and wide wide smile. “When you’re on a trampoline, you are expressly launching yourself into the air for the sheer joy of falling swiftly back down! Muggles are clearly insane, and do not fear death.”

* * *

 

Rose and Scorpius hadn’t followed the others into the castle for dinner. They stood by the entrance to the school. They were having a Moment, with a capital M. The one where they’re _not_ looking into each others’ eyes, they peer at each other occasionally from the corners of their eyes, because looking at the other one is like staring at the sun. The one where there’s something hanging in the air between them, that’s been following them around all day...even longer, if truth be told. The one where if they step into the bright lights of the castle, that tender air of potential might just evaporate in the warmth; _that_ Moment. And each one was waiting for the other to do _something_ , and wondering why the hell they were standing outside in the freezing cold like a pair of idiots.

Quietly, Rose took Scorpius’s hand. He was freezing too. This whole thing was a mess, but for some reason, Rose wanted to laugh. It was a ridiculous scene, and all she had to do to end it was to say or do something, anything.

“I had fun,” Scorpius choked out, clutching Rose’s hand for moral support.

“Me too...,” Rose turned to Scorpius, bringing them closer. He cleared his throat.

“We should get inside,” he said. Pop! Moment gone. Rose cracked a smile anyway.

“I’m pretty sure I’m frozen stuck here forever now,” she joked.

“Good thing I’m around then,” Scorp said, taking some inconspicuous deep breaths, then...

“Wha-?! Bloody-! Fuck!,” Scorpius lifted Rose up onto his back, taking more inconspicuous breaths because he was a bloody Chaser, not a pro-wrestler MMA fighter person, dammit!

“What?,” Scorp teased, “’Bloody Fuck’, Rose? That is nasty.”

“I...did not expect this, but I feel like I am crushing you, so we should hurry inside now,” Rose babbled distractedly. _What is that? Vanilla? Will he notice if I sniff his hair just a tiiiiiny bit?_

“Not gonna lie, that took some effort,” Scorp said, depositing Rose to her feet as soon as they were somewhere warmer. "But you couldn't crush me if you tried," Scorpius pretended to grimace.


	8. Things Move Along

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not too long now, before the end.

The last thing Gwen did before winter holidays was caving and confronting Rose. The younger girl was much harder to talk to alone, inconspicuously, than Scorpius Malfoy. If she wasn’t with her cousins, or brother, or friends, or Scorpius... _where_ would she be? Apparently, Gwen would have to schedule an appointment, which is how she and Rose ended up in the kitchens (house elves knew better than to pry, unlike bored students). Still, finding Rose alone in a girl’s bathroom and scheduling said appointment was a lucky break.

“Holy shit,” Rose hissed, “It was James’s idea wasn’t it.” Gwen nodded gratefully.

“Do Jackie, Megan, and the others know?” Rose asked. She, herself, was quite close to her roommates.

“No! ‘Course not. Honestly, I wouldn’t have told you if I could really talk to them about it,” Gwen shrugged. “Er, no offense? But why would you be offended? We hardly know each other,” she was getting distracted now.

“But...I don’t understand...I can’t wrap my mind around it,” Rose threaded her fingers through her hair, a nervous habit. “I really don’t want to judge, but this is some twisted plan...and yet, so _well-executed_!”

“Thank...you?” Gwen observed Rose absorbing the news.

“But the snogging, and the being in-sync?,” Gwen wasn’t sure if it was a rhetorical question.

“The snogging is a surprising perk,” Gwen considered.

“Urgh, please, spare me the details,” Rose shook her head.

“What I really wanted to talk about...actually...is that...maybe...”

“Oh, Merlin, have neither of you ever seen a romcom, before?,” Rose  interjected.

“I didn’t think crap like that happened in real life,” Gwen groaned into her hands. A passing house elf offered her a napkin, but she didn’t need any and politely declined. “I’m afraid to say it out loud. It makes it more real.”

“You fancy him,” Rose gave it to her straight.

“ _Maybe_. It’s a hard maybe, at this point,” Gwen corrected.

“We can work with this,” Rose mused.

“We can? Wait, _work_ with it?”

“Look, whatever you decide to do about your... _maybe_ feelings for my gross, twisted cousin, at least you’ve got someone to talk to now,” Rose smiled.

“Really?,” Gwen asked earnestly.

“Yeah, really. I like you, Gwen. I think you’re good people.”

“Thanks,” Gwen paused meaningfully. “It feels _so_ much better to talk to someone. I swear, sometimes, I wonder if I’m being paranoid or if he’s just that dense, because sometimes I’m disgustingly obvious?,” Gwen paused for Rose’s input.

“Well, I don’t know, I can’t tell either? You were supposed to be his girlfriend. How am I supposed to know if something you’re doing’s acting-Gwen or crushing-Gwen?”

“Fair enough...”

“But, Merlin, I can definitely help with the sharing, getting things off your chest thing,” Rose stopped and thought something over. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“You’ve got enough on me for black mail, I suppose, so go ahead,” Gwen shrugged.

“I...uh. Crap, you’re right, it’s hard to actually say it out loud,” Rose frowned.

“You fancy someone,” Gwen concluded.

“Someone I’m too close to to do anything about it,” Rose glowered.

“Scorpius...,” Gwen’s eyes bugged out.

“We could really crush at charades, I bet,” Rose grinned slyly. “But yeah, that obvious?”

“Well...,” Gwen’s face twisted into pained restraint.

“What? Do you know something?,” Rose tried to be as patient as she could. She didn’t want to spook Gwen and make her not want to say what she was saying.

 _Scorpius never made me swear to secrecy_ , Gwen reasoned to herself. _And it’s because of him I’m telling Rose everything now. But it’s not_ my _secret to tell! But Rose fancies him back!!!_

“You alright?” Rose’s concern for Gwen’s visible dilemma overrode her curiosity over the mysterious “He”.

“Yeah, but...er...I forgot what I was about to say,” Gwen decided, calm now.

“Er...does that happen often?,” Rose asked.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Gwen nodded emphatically.

“Alright, but goes without saying, all this _stays_ in the kitchen, promise?” Rose extended a hand to shake on it.

 _Dammit_ , Gwen thought. She shook Rose’s hand obligingly. But Rose and Scorp, it seemed, would have to deal with their secrets themselves.

* * *

 

“Do I sit with you on the train, or with my friends? What do girlfriends do?,” Gwen asked James as they ate breakfast together at the Hufflepuff table, waiting for the train home.

“Have you never had a serious boyfriend before?,” James asked, mid-scoop. There was no judgement, only surprise.

“I’m...I’m 17. Who’s got _time_ to be serious? I mean, I’ve had a few _things_ now and then...,” Gwen stopped when she realised she was rambling, but James seemed to be listening intently, grin in place.

“I’m your first?,” James teased, waggling his brows. Gwen groaned, rolled her eyes, and turned to her plate.

“But...I guess, you’d just do what you’d do, if I were really your boyfriend,” James shrugged pragmatically.

“I’d sit with my friends,” Gwen deadpanned. “Not that I have anything _against_ girls who sit with their boyfriends!” she corrected, glancing around the table to see if anyone heard. “It’s just that I’d like to be comfortable for the long ride,” Gwen looked to James for confirmation.

“And you wouldn’t be, with your boyfriend?”

“I...I don’t know,” Gwen shrugged. “And why doesn’t _he_ sit with my friends? My hypothetical boyfriend, I mean.”

“I could, if you’d like,” James offered offhandedly. Gwen watched him with a perplexed smile, something that’d been happening too often for comfort.

“Only if you want to,” Gwen decided. “We’ve got room, since Jackie, Ruth, and Meg are sitting with their boyfriends,” she snuck James a grin.

“I should. I’m not talking to your friends enough, for a convincingly good boyfriend,” James nodded thoughtfully.

“You know, maybe real relationships would work out better if couples pretended they were fake-dating? They’d be talking things over, and stuff,” Gwen gave a monosyllabic laugh.

“That’s terrible,” James half joked, half chided; elbowing Gwen’s middle and making her jump.

* * *

 

“You’re good?” James asked Gwen, having just finished putting his trunk away in the train compartment they shared.

“Yup, thanks,” she plopped down on the window seat facing forward.

“Oh, you don’t need t-!,” Naomi Bankhead, Gwen’s roommate, never finished her sentence, because as she was struggling, James had already helped load her trunk. At that moment, Fred entered and faked a scowl.

“I’m never going to the loo again,” Fred whispered jokingly to James.

“What, why?” James asked.

“Don’t ‘what’ me, that could’ve been my big move,” Fred grinned. He took the seat by the door, and James sat between him and Gwen.

“So...,” Gwen began, “These are my friends, Naomi and Hazel. Naomi and Hazel? These are Fred and James,” she gestured around as she spoke. The four exchanged handshakes as the train whistle signalled the beginning of their two-week break.

“Right,” Hazel announced, as soon as the train started moving, “I’m going to sleep. Goodbye,” she and Naomi pushed the armrests up and out of the way, and Naomi scooted over to the other end, across from Fred. Hazel stretched out, with her back to them, using her coat as a blanket.

“It’s her thing,” Gwen explained to James and Fred.

“Er, mate,” James began, nudging Fred, “weren’t you just telling me about how much you love muggle architecture?”

“Yeah, why?” Fred asked, all flustered, thinking James would tease him about it. James only gestured subtly in Naomi’s direction.

“You’re interested in muggle architecture?” Naomi ventured.

“It’s...it’s an interest...of mine, yeah,” Fred was forced to admit.

“Me too,” said Naomi, then she turned and smiled knowingly at Gwen. “Well, would you look at that,” she drawled sarcastically. Gwen grinned back and mouthed, _What?_ James and Gwen bumped fists, subtly, as Fred and Naomi started talking about architecture, both muggle and magical.

* * *

 

“See you both in two weeks,” Scorpius half joked, hugging Al first, and then Rose.  They were at King’s Cross now, waiting to find their families. Scorp tried not to linger a bit while hugging Rose, failed, and pretended it was because he’d seen his parents a ways behind her.

“See ya, mate,” Al patted Scorpius on the shoulder as he left. Rose gave a sad sigh.

“You think they’ll finally get him a mobile for Christmas?” Al offered as they searched for their family in the crowd.

“Fat chance,” Rose replied. Most magical families had a tendency to be suspicious of the invasion of privacy that sometimes came with smartphones.

A few feet away, James signalled for Al and Rose to come over to where he had found Lily and Hugo. Gwen was just saying goodbye to her friends, and Fred had just introduced them to the younger cousins.

“Oh, I see my parents. James?,” Gwen looked to him, then to the others, “Pleasure meeting you both. Bye, Fred.”

“Hold on,” James leaned closer, “Goodbye kiss,” he whispered to her under the loud chatter filling the platform. Gwen blushed furiously. Not only had they tip-toed around the subject of kissing, since the Post-Party Incident, and avoided kissing altogether, her family had already spotted her, as well.

“You sure?,” Gwen responded. James gestured for her to look around. Sure enough, there were many goodbye kisses happening...in fact, some were goodbye snogs. “Fair enough,” Gwen shrugged.

“If you don’t want to-,” Gwen cut him off with a quick kiss.

“Goodbye, love,” Gwen laughed, patting James stunned face on the cheek. It was only when she’d reached her parents when she realised what she’d said.

* * *

 

Claire Vasquez didn’t notice the figure that had apparated out of the shadows, making its way to their front door. What she did notice was how the two dogs scrambled to the door, even before the doorbell started ringing. Claire rolled off the couch she’d been laying in, lazily, reading a terribly thick book on theology and mythologies around the world. She peered through the frosted window by the door, but couldn’t recognise the huddled figure. She quickly shut the curtain when the figure turned her way. She opened the door tentatively, wrestling a bit with the dogs, and was greeted with a blast of cold, and a “Hullo”.

“You must be Claire, is Gwen home?”

“And who are you?” Claire looked the boy up and down, completely recognising him from the strange platform 9 and ¾.

“James Potter,” he stuck his hand out, but Claire didn’t shake it. “Gwen’s...er, boyfriend?”

“Alright,” Claire allowed. Besides, the dogs were squirming worse than James was, “Come in, then.” James gladly entered the warmth of the mid-sized Vasquez home, hanging his coat up, and petting the dogs as though they were long friends.

“Gwen’s visiting Mrs. Leonard – she used to babysit us – but she should be back soon. Tea, coffee..?” Claire called out from the kitchen.

“I’m good, thanks. You’re parents are at the animal clinic?” James asked, as he plopped down on a couch in the living room. The dogs, a very old Chihuahua, and a larger battle-scarred, half-blind mutt, had finished inspecting him, and promptly laid down on the floor.

“Yep,” Claire said, as she returned with her mug. “We do this foster home thing for rescued dogs that haven’t found their forever family yet,” Claire explained, smiling pleasantly at the dogs.

“That’s really sweet, actually,” James beamed. “You know, I’ve never known Gwen to willingly get up early in the morning.” James checked his watch, a gift from his 17th birthday. It was past 10 in the morning.

“Mrs. Leonard always asks about her, so Gwen figured she ought to visit,” Claire shrugged. “So, you’re her boyfriend.”

“Yes,” James nodded awkwardly.

“And you sent her a charm bracelet for Christmas,” Claire enjoyed making James squirm.

“Er, yeah...You saw that?” James asked.

“It was cute,” Claire allowed.

“Gwen told me you go to boarding school too,” James offered, eager to change the subject. Claire laughed suddenly.

“Yeah, I do. And it’s alright, James. I know about the fake-dating thing,” Claire laughed some more. “I mean, our parents don’t, but Gwen told me all about it,” her laughter subsided, and she made some pacifying gestures.

“You were messing with me,” James realised.

“Yeah, I have a terrible tendency to mess with people,” Claire admitted. “It’s just...you’re cooped up at home, and in this small town for two weeks. It drives you nuts, trust me,” she seemed to have loosened up after admitting she’d known all along.

“Right,” James allowed his guard to drop as well. It felt good, he realised, to not have someone know everything about him, the way they did in the wizarding world.

“Oh, there she is,” Claire, apparently, had spotted Gwen out the window, trudging through the snow down the road. Gwen appeared to stop, and another figure joined her.

“Who’s that?” James asked, turning behind him to the window.

“Ben Gardner, our new neighbour, and of course he’s all over Gwen as soon as she gets here,” Claire sighed. “I’m not jealous,” she amended, “it’s just a...thing,” she frowned at James, as though he was the one who’d suggested she was jealous.

“Of course, you’re not jealous. You’re a child prodigy who’s going to cure cancer and save lives someday,” James offered, digging through his memory of Gwen’s stories about her family.

“Exactly,” Claire smiled. They turned back to watching Ben Gardner walking Gwen home. “And you’re not jealous?”

“What?,” James’s head spun to look at Claire so fast, she was actually scared for him. “Of Gwen?”

“No, you idiot,” Claire rolled her eyes.

“Ben Gardner,” James realised, and Claire made a _No duh_ face. “I know nothing about him.”

“He’s walking Gwen home,” Claire pointed out, “and she’s laughing at his jokes.”

“What?” James craned his head to look again. Ben and Gwen were nearing the front door now. Claire made a knowing “Hm” sound. “She’s not _really_ my girlfriend, remember?”

“Tell me, who at your school is going to know you gave her an adorable little charm bracelet for Christmas, anyhow?”

“Everyone, when I tell them?” James shrugged. Just then, the doorbell rang. Claire hopped up to get it, and once again, the dogs were scrambling at the door.

“James!” Gwen cried out, as soon as Claire opened the door. “Er, Ben, thanks for walking me back,” she gave a tiny wave goodbye.

“Anytime, Gwen, see ya around,” he waited for Gwen to enter the house and shut the door before heading back.

“What are you doing here?” Gwen spun around and accosted James.

“Hello to you, too,” James grinned. “Tippy’s inviting you to a ‘spa day’ this afternoon to get ready for the Dinner tonight,” he drew quotation marks in the air at “spa day”.

“What’s with the quotation marks?” Gwen asked. James only shrugged.

“I’m to pick you up and drop you off at her house for lunch. I thought you’d still be asleep about now, so I came early to wake you up,” James explained cheerily. Meanwhile, Claire was back on the couch, reading her book.

“You’ve met Claire, then?” Gwen said, busy greeting the dogs.

“Oh, yes. She’s a delight,” James teased, getting a friendly scoff from Claire.

“I’ll need to bring my dress and things, then?” Gwen was already making her way up the stairs.

“I guess so.”

“Hold on, just let me get my things,” Gwen disappeared up the stairs and into her room.

“Sit down, she’ll be a while,” Claire called out from the living room.

Half an hour later, Gwen returned with all of her things, and a gift wrapped box. She looked refreshed, with her thick brown curls in a messy bun, and a faint scent of cologne. In one hand, she had her dress in a garment bag, and a make-up kit held between her arm and her body; in the other, she was offering James his belated Christmas present. He noticed she was wearing the charm bracelet with the Quidditch charms: a broom, a Quaffle, the snitch, etc...

“What’s this?” James asked, receiving the box.

“Merry Belated Christmas,” Gwen replied.

“Can I open it now?”

“Sure”, Gwen nodded. James ripped the wrapping paper apart carefully, and opened the unassuming box. Inside was an old bronze compass, small enough to fit in a pocket.

“It’s beautiful,” James breathed, admiring the antique.

“Oh, I just found it in some muggle thrift shop that sells odds and ends,” Gwen brushed it off, “But...they had no idea that it’s actually magical,” Gwen took the compass from James. “I want to know where my favourite scarf is,” Gwen said clearly. The compass warmed in her palm and the arrow supposed to point north swung around and pointed at the coat rack where Gwen’s scarf hung.

“You found it in a muggle thrift store?” James’s eyes widened in surprise and delight. He gingerly took the compass into his own palm. “Where is my wallet?” James asked, chuckling, and the arrow swung around to point at him. James took the wallet out of his pocket to show Gwen the compass had worked.

“D’you like it?” she asked.

“I love it. Thank you,” James replied.

“Now, off to the Cornwallis’s?” Gwen said.

“If you’re ready,” and Gwen nodded.

“Bye, Claire!” said Gwen as she and James put their coats on.

“It was wonderful meeting you!” Claire waved goodbye absently as the pair apparated away.


	9. Method Acting (or, The Obligatory Princess Makeover Chapter)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important: As with most other next gen fics, McGonagall is now headmistress.

"Tippy...," Gwen breathed, "Your house is amazing!" she ogled the manor, looking idyllic in the snow, like something out of a romance novel.

"Come in. It's freezing!" Tippy laughed, clutching herself, keeping warm in a large, brightly coloured sweater. Even in all its hideous glory, that sweater did not diminish the ethereal beauty of Tippy Cornwallis.

"Hey, Tip," James greeted her with a hug as she ushered Gwen inside. "I can't stay, I've stuff to do before the party, sorry."

"It's alright, we're having a girls' day in, anyway. Thanks for dropping Gwen off, and you," Tippy turned to Gwen, "I'm so glad you're here, Gwen! We're going to have so much fun." The pretty redhead gushed, and Gwen suddenly felt excitement bubble in her stomach. She'd always been a sucker for gal pal type chick flicks.

"See you both, tonight. Gwen, I'm picking you up here, and we're meeting my parents at the party," James said, and the blood drained from Gwen's face.

"What?" she whispered to James as he hugged her goodbye.

"You'll be alright," he whispered in her ear. James walked out of the property's boundary line so he could apparate away. After the Second Wizarding War, magical families were very big on protective charms, and some prevented apparating into or out of the property.

"First, mani-pedis," Tippy announced gleefully. Gwen realised that since Tippy had only an older brother, perhaps she really was excited to befriend her, and not just doing this out of some random sense of charity or politeness.

* * *

 Meanwhile, somewhere in the vicinity of a town called Ottery St. Catchpole, and not too far from the Burrow, tensions were rising in the Potter household.

"Shut it, Lily, you're, like, 12," Albus called as Lily threatened to destroy his life for the nth time.

"I am  _fourteen,_ Albus, stop saying that!" Lily raged.

"I'll stop when it stops bothering you," Al retaliated.

"Albus, where is my mobile?! Come on, it isn't funny anymore," Lily pleaded. Al continued reading his book. "You didn't...you wouldn't..."

"Calm down, I haven't ruined it  _completely_ ," that was the closest thing to sorry any sibling knew to expect, and Lily was no different. Al reached into a drawer stuffed full with tousled underwear and pulled out an ordinary looking smartphone. Lily pulled a face, but took it from him anyway.

"What did you do?" Lily narrowed her eyes at him.

"I...er, wanted to try out a waterproofing charm," Al shrugged.

" _Merlin_ , you couldn't use your own mobile?!" she cried, trying to turn the device on, and Al only blinked back. "You've already ruined it, haven't you," Lily crossed her arms in disdain.

"I only wanted to see the hardware.  _Besides_ , do I  _really_ need it?"

"If you had more friends, you would," Lily tried to provoke him for revenge. "You're mental," she added for good measure. Al only shrugged it off.

"Come on, Lils, you're our one and only baby sister. You're mum and dad's favourite! You could make them do anything,  _including_  fix your mobile or buy you a new one," Al persuaded her.

"Hiya!" James called as he passed Al's bedroom to get to his. He grasped the situation with one look through the open door and paused. "Did he do some weird experiment on your mobile too?"

"Too?" Lily asked, and behind her, Al rolled his eyes. James reached into his back pocket and pulled out his mobile. Amazingly, it wiggled and shone like rubber as he held it with two fingers.

"Al's attempt at shock-proofing," James laughed.

"Well, at least it still works," Al tried defending himself.

" _You're_ cheerful," Lily observed, eyes narrowing again, in perpetual suspicion of her mischievous brothers.

"Yeah, and since when do you volunteer to go to dinner parties with mum and dad?" Al was eager to change the topic.

James pretended to think for a second, "Since I got a date to bring along," he joked, attempting an air of mystery.

"Does he mean Gwen Vasquez?" Lily turned to Al.

"He means Gwen Vasquez," Al agreed.

"How d'you know about that?" James asked Lily, disappointed at their lack of excitement and curiosity.

"It's a small school," Lily shrugged.

"Oh, Lils, I didn't know when to tell you this, but you're here now, so...Rose and Scorp are coming over for dinner," Al announced.

"Fine, as long as Hugo comes along, and he brings his hard drive with all the movies," Lily replied.

"Deal," said Albus.

* * *

 "So, Gwen, how'd you and James get together, again?" Tippy asked as she and Gwen soaked their hands and feet in some goopy, snot-coloured potion.

"Oh, you know that embarrassing scene at school..." Gwen replied vaguely, taking small sips from the cup of juice hovering magically beside her.

"I know the when and where, Gwen, but what about the  _how_?" Tippy prompted.

"Okay," Gwen conceded, biting her lip in thought. "At some point, while we hated each other, it turned into fancying the pants off of each other," Gwen said, blushing intensely.  _You wish_ , she chastised herself.

"That's adorable, like something out of a novel or those muggle films," Tippy sighed.

"Oh, trust me, it was not as fun as they made it out to be," Gwen rolled her eyes.

"What d'you mean?" apparently, Gwen had underestimated Tippy's keen interest in whatever she said.

"Well, it isn't fun to pine away thinking he could never feel the same way, isn't it?" Gwen suggested.

"But pining is the best part!" Tippy insisted. "When Matty and I were still just friends, I had no idea if he'd  _ever_ see me that way, but when he finally asked me out, all those pent up feelings just made the confession so much sweeter," she gushed, and sighed dreamily.

"You two make the sweetest couple," Gwen agreed, taking the first opportunity to switch topics.

"You know what I really love about Matty?" Tippy didn't wait for a response. "I love how he knows I'm not all that, but he's still there for me, anyway." Tippy blushed, but seemed pleased with what she'd said.

"I know what you mean," Gwen encouraged.

"Yeah! Some people think I've got it all, like I'm some ideal, on a pedestal or something, and when I try to be myself, problems and all, they suddenly disappear. Poof!" Tippy laughed, trying to play off the admission as a joke. It was clear to Gwen that she hadn't intended the sudden personal disclosure.

"Yeah, I've seen that happen too often. It's terrible," Gwen paused, "I'm glad you've got Matty now. He seems like such a good person, and you two are a wonderful match," Gwen offered a smile.

"Problems and all?" Tippy asked, deciding she could be even just a little bit vulnerable with Gwen.

"Problems and all," Gwen nodded.

"I think you and James make a good pair too," Tippy admitted. "Falling for someone you once found insufferable...Now,  _that's_ 'problems and all'," Tippy chuckled. Gwen laughed along as best she could, though the lying was starting to bother her, just then, in Tippy's room as the other girl allowed her into some of her more private thoughts and feelings.

"We're getting into really deep and gloomy territory here," Gwen joked, "I think we should head back."

"Yeah, I think we've been soaking enough. It's time to play dress-up!" Tippy pulled a hand out of one of her bowls where it soaked in potion, and reached for her wand. With a flick, Tippy's large wardrobe flew open, revealing a slew of dinner party-worthy dresses.

"I've brought a dress...and shoes..." Gwen offered.

"Yes, but part of the fun is playing dress up! Trust me, I don't mind lending you a dress or two, and we can resize them with magic," Tippy pulled a puppy dog face. "Gwen, please? Please for once don't be so polite and let me dress you up like the baby sister I never had?"

"Merlin!" Gwen joked, " _How_ could I possibly refuse when you pull the "only girl" card?" she and Tippy dissolved into giggles. "But seriously," Gwen began, "Tippy Cornwallis, you are the sweetest girl," and Tippy aw-ed exaggeratedly for effect. The girls removed their hands and feet from the bowls and started towelling them off.

"Thank you, Bimpky," Tippy called out to the house elf who'd begun cleaning up after them, as she made her way to her wardrobe. "Favourite colour?" this to Gwen.

"Mm, I really don't have one? Or I have too many," Gwen grinned, "maybe, greens or blues, yellows?"

"Alright, try this," Tippy offered Gwen a sea green cocktail dress, and chose another dress for herself.

* * *

 "Scorp," Rose whispered to the boy as they waited outside the house for Al to let them in. "Gwen told me everything." For a second, Scorpius's breath caught, thinking Rose meant his embarrassing crush on her.

Scorpius coughed conspicuously. "Did she explain? About the fake-dating, I mean?"

"It's the worst plan in the world," Rose said as confirmation.

"I don't understand how-," Scorpius was cut off by the door opening.

"Hullo," it was Lily Luna at the door. "Where's Hugo?"

"Hey!," the two guests greeted in unison, as though she'd caught them gossiping.

"He might follow later. He's helping granddad with this universal remote he's tinkering with," Rose explained.

"I see where Al got it, then," Lily sighed, letting Rose and Scorpius in. "He broke my mobile," Lily offered.

"But do you really need one?" Rose asked.

"All my playlists were there," Lily muttered despondently.

"At least you had one," Scorp chimed in. "My parents think Google is muggles trying to dig up the wizarding world." Lily wrinkled her nose in sympathy.

"Al's in his room. Our parents and James've already left for that dinner party thing," Lily left them to find Al on their own.

"Gwen fancies James, for real," Rose whispered suddenly, as they made their way, slowly, to Al's room.

"Leave it to those two to complicate things," Scorpius rolled his eyes.

"Hold on," Rose said, louder this time. She grabbed Scorp's hand to stop him, as she bent down to tie her shoelaces that'd come undone.

"Disaster avoided?" Scorp asked, disappointed at his heart for abruptly skipping a beat at the sudden contact.

"Yep," Rose said, gleefully congratulating herself for being so smooth.

* * *

 The first thought James had upon seeing Gwen descend the stairs in a new dress, with her hair and makeup expertly done, was if perhaps Tip had put a love spell or charm on her. But the idea was impossible, and James couldn't remember having drunk or eaten anything suspicious lately, so why in the world couldn't he take his eyes off her, especially when Tippy Cornwallis was just right beside Gwen.

"...I'm, er...wow...Gwen," James managed as soon as Gwen was close enough. He cleared his throat. "You look good, great," he finally finished.

"Tip insisted on a grand entrance," Gwen explained, self-consciously clutching the borrowed dress.

"You look great," James assured her, with an impulsive kiss, to be sure. Gwen blushed and pulled away.

"You look good, too. Very dashing," Gwen said, inspecting James's dress robes.

"Oh, this old thing?" James joked.

"Well, if you too are done ogling each other," Tippy teased. She and Matthew were arm-in-arm and ready to leave.

"Merlin, Tip," Matty chided her jokingly, "Let them have their moment." James and Gwen blushed deeply, both too fixated on their embarrassment to notice the other in a similar state.

Eventually, the couples filed into a sleek black car, considering apparating would've been harder, more dangerous, and possibly ruinous to the girls' dresses, and hair and makeup. The ride was spent gossiping about who'd be at the party, and the state of the host's home, its grandeur. The subject of NEWTs was carefully tiptoed around, so it wouldn't ruin the evening with worrying and moping. Soon enough, the talk came around to plans for the future, goals and ambitions.

"We know James'll be playing Quidditch professionally, of course," Tippy offered, "and I'm looking into becoming a Healer or  _maybe_ going into publishing. And I know Matty's got that Magizoology internship, but I never got 'round to asking you, Gwen."

"Er, it's a bit of a long story, maybe," Gwen started, "but basically, after Hogwarts, I'm going to university," she thought to clarify the obvious, "as in with muggles."

"Really?" James asked, and Tippy gave him an odd look.

"Yeah, Professor McGonagall's been helping me with applications, and translating my grades to something muggles can understand," Gwen shrugged, playing the story down, unconsciously, to avoid ridicule.

"I understand wanting to stay in the academe and all that, but what're you going to uni for? What'll you be studying?" Matty asked.

"I'm hoping to study muggle subjects I can compare with magical ones, like if I could compare the muggle history timeline with that of magical history, or whatever, but...I'm really interested in...Well, it's a bit ridiculous, really," Gwen tried laughing herself off. Everyone watched her expectantly.

"I'd like to become a private investigator," she confessed. "You know, I'd be self-employed, mostly. And I could solve muggle cases with magic, which would be more efficient...secretly, of course, and I'm sure I could get into some exciting adventures, especially with magical cases," Gwen shrugged again, not knowing what sort of reaction to expect from the other three.

"That's...too cool," James admitted. "That is the most out-of-the-blue thing I've heard in a while. I'm actually sort of excited for you. You should write about your adventures!" Gwen blushed some more, glad that James looked as excited about it as she was.

"I agree," Tippy said, "I would definitely read about adventures like that." And then just like that, the car stopped, and they were at the entrance of yet another beautiful large house, complete with snow-dappled magical hedges, trimmed to look like exotic animals, that moved about the property.

"We'll just meet up with my parents, then see the host, and we'll meet you both inside the house?" James asked.

"Sounds good."

"Alright," Matty and Tippy agreed. And Gwen allowed James to lead her out of the car and into the chilly evening, glad for the large coat Tippy had lent her.

"Over there," James said, leading Gwen to a couple who were admiring a particularly adorable enchanted hedge carved to look like a bear. Gwen realised they must be James's parents and her stomach flip-flopped. "I know you're nervous," James admitted, "but if we're going to be a serious couple, it's got to happen sometime." He ran his thumb along Gwen's knuckles soothingly, and she knew he'd have her back. She'd be alright.

"Hey, mum, dad," James called, giving his mum a hug first, and then his dad. "This is Gwen, my girlfriend," James puffed up his chest proudly, and Gwen had to remind herself they were acting.

"Hello, Mr. Potter, Mrs. Potter," Gwen shook their hands.

"So, you're Gwen," Ginny started, "I've heard  _so_ much about you," she teased James.

"Only good things, of course," Harry interjected, and James groaned in embarrassment.

"James has told me so much about both of you as well," Gwen said, awkwardly feeling her way through the conversation.

"Has he, now?" Harry eyed his son knowingly.

"Only good things," James mimicked good-naturedly. "Mum, Gwen's a fan of yours from your Quidditch playing days, actually." Gwen turned to James embarrassedly,  _How could you betray me like this._

"Oh, that's sweet. James has actually been gushing about your Keeper skills for years," Ginny pretended a conspiratorial whisper.

"Mum!" James protested. That was one thing he never wanted Gwen to find out.

"Really?," Gwen played along. "Wow, that's incredibly flattering, coming from Gryffindor's Most Valuable Player," she blushed.

"Gwen's parents are veterinarians," James changed the topic, embarrassed at his mother's excitement over being introduced to a girlfriend, for once.

"They work at an animal clinic that doubles as a shelter," Gwen explained.

"You know what they say about dogs," Harry said, "They've got good instincts about people."

"Yeah, I think I've heard that," Ginny nodded at her husband.

"Well, we haven't said hello to the host yet...," James said pointedly.

"Oh, you should. It's bad manners not to, go on," Ginny released them, "It was lovely finally meeting you, Gwen."

"Oh, my pleasure, Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Gwen called out as James lead her away.

"That was only slightly embarrassing, so not too bad," James allowed.

"D'you think they liked me?" Gwen asked.

"I'm sure they did. We did great," James offered a hand for a low five, and Gwen obliged.

Inside the house, guests milled about or sat at tables, surrounded by antique decor and an impressive collection of food and drinks spread about the various rooms. At the entrance of the house, there was a table of volunteers who accepted donations for the construction of a new wing at St. Mungo's.

"There," James pointed out a table in another room where Matty and Tippy sat, talking with their heads close together, and watching couples dance.

"Tippy just had the best idea," Matty said, as soon as James and Gwen were close enough.

"Technically, it was my brother's idea, but Matty," Tippy chided, "let them eat first."

As James and Gwen sat, the plates in front of them magically filled with a sample of every dish. James ate with gusto, while Gwen self-consciously nibbled on the food, afraid to mess up Tippy's dress.

"Alright, well, my parents are letting my brother and I throw a New Year's Eve party, while they go to some stuffy adult one," Tippy confided.

"Yes!" James said excitedly. "I am definitely going. Gwen?"

"Am I invited?" Gwen asked, half-joking.

"Of course, silly. So, will you come?" Tippy asked, expectantly.

"Alright, but I'll have to tell my parents," Gwen admitted.

"Okay, but I'll be expecting you," Tippy urged.

"Tip," Matthew suddenly perked up, "this song..."

"Oh, yes!" Tippy turned knowingly to her boyfriend.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Let's go," Tippy practically dragged Matthew to the dance floor as the classical music Gwen couldn't recognise played on.

Gwen and James had finished eating, making sparse light conversation as they did. The whole time, Gwen was distractedly watching the couples' slow dance. Eventually, James chuckled to himself and stood up, turning to Gwen. He held his hand out for her, palm up.

"Seriously?" Gwen asked, again, half-joking, as she apparently did when flustered.

"Seriously, now, come on," James smiled, tipping his head to the crowd slow dancing. Gwen took his hand and allowed him to lead her into the crowd. James sensed her uncertainty and took both her hands, placing her arms over his shoulders and sliding his hands to her waist.

As the dance progressed, Gwen found herself leaning her head on James's shoulder. James dipped his head and whispered in Gwen's ear: "Don't look now, but the lady at your six o'clock is here for the Daily Prophet." Gwen resisted the urge to look.

"Is she looking this way?" she felt herself blush.

"She  _was_ ," James responded.

"Does that happen often?" Gwen asked.

"What d'you mean?"

"Do you always have people watching you?" Gwen voice was small and hesitant.

"...Yeah," James breathed out, and the proximity of him, and the sudden warmth on Gwen's neck caused electricity to run down her spine. She pulled away, a little bit, and James touched his forehead to her's. They smiled contentedly at each other.


	10. New Year, New Problems (or, It Gets to a Point, and then, well...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the sloppy writing for this and previous chapters. At this point, I have only a few chapters left, and it's making me impatient :))

The Cornwallis New Year's Eve party, as it turned out, was your average teen house party...times ten. It was basically the Cornwallis house, packed with strangers, and with everyone old enough to do crazy drunken things...with magic.

"Just help yourself to the drinks!" Tippy called out to Gwen and James who'd, in fact, already helped themselves. She turned back to Matty who, it appeared, was the most hilarious drunk dancer ever.

"Let's grab a few and head out!" James shouted into Gwen's ear.

"Yeah, I can't breathe!" Gwen replied, and James tried to force more space in the crowd for the much smaller girl.

Eventually, they made their way to the Cornwallis's back porch, chilly in winter, and Gwen plopped onto the railing. She'd just gotten into a fight with her parents about going to the party and curfews, so as soon as she'd arrived, of course she started chugging away at the available liquor, magical and muggle. Even in the cold, the backyard was littered with other people. They could still hear the thumping bass from inside the house.

"I think...Tippy might be my new best friend," Gwen told James.

"That's lovely, I'm sure she'll appreciate hearing that," a much more sober James teased, making sure Gwen didn't fall off her perch.

"You think I'm kidding, but I'm not," Gwen half-joked.

"Well, what does your previous best friend have to say about it?" James asked.

"I haven't got one...You're right, I should say: 'Tippy might be my first best friend ever'," Gwen admitted.

"Gwen...is this party just an excuse for you to get drunk again, because that can't be healthy," James brushed back Gwen's hair.

"D'you know Cards Against Humanity?" Gwen suddenly asked, smiling widely.

"Sure, that old muggle card game about offending people," James offered.

"There's a black card there, and you have to fill in the blank...and it goes: 'I drink to forget, blank'," Gwen said. "I drink to forget that I haven't got a best friend," she said, laughing and taking a swig from the bottle.

"Oh, Merlin, I don't remember you being a weepy drunk," James subtly took Gwen's bottle from her, glad she hadn't noticed, and placed on the ground by his feet.. "What about Naomi, or Meg, or Jackie Somers?"

"They're my closest friends...," Gwen answered.

"But not best friend material, why's that?" James took a swig from Gwen's bottle, pretending it was his.

"Sometimes, when I lean back...or," Gwen screwed her face up in thought, almost falling over. "I think about if I could tell them some things...and I can't," she finished vaguely. "I just don't think we've...we've reached that level of friendship yet. I don't think I've ever reached that level with anyone," Gwen turned to James. She moved him in front of her, wrapping her legs around him. She grinned cheekily, something she reserved for boys she'd flirt with.

"Maybe you're expecting too much," James said, still focused on keeping Gwen from falling.

"Maybe it's because I help run a foster home for sad little dogs who don't have forever families...and sometimes they have to be put down," Gwen let out a stray giggle, and then sniffed sadly.

"What d'you mean?"

"Dogs are the purest creatures on Earth, did you know that?" Gwen insisted. "And just imagine...being a little girl and falling in love with these sad, sometimes permanently injured, but still pure souls, and then...and then they move on to a forever family," she sniffed again. "Because if they don't...if they  _can't_ , they have to be put down."

"I'm sorry," James pulled Gwen close to him, brushing back her hair, and running his hands up and down her arms to warm her. "Gwen, that's terrible."

"They had to put Stinky down today," Gwen whispered. Her voice was thick, but there still wasn't a single tear. "I'm sorry. I didn't have anyone to tell. It's not a very pleasant subject," and she lifted her head to look James in the eye, looking much more sober.

"It's alright. I'm sorry," James repeated. "Which one was he?"

"The big black one. The fighting scars and partial blindness scared people away, and the shelter had more promising dogs for us to care for," Gwen said. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around James's shoulders.

James ventured a kiss on Gwen's cheek, "I know people say this all the time, but he's probably in a better place now, some doggy heaven with all the toys and snacks he could want." He buried his face in the crook of Gwen's neck, and allowed her to run her hand through his hair. He felt guilty for enjoying the attention.  _Poor Stinky_ , he tried to make himself think.

"I'm sure you're right," Gwen finally pulled away, wiping invisible tears. "Thanks, James."

"Of course," said James.

"I need to go to the loo," Gwen admitted. "That taste of alcohol in my mouth is disgusting, and I haven't had anything to eat, and I think I might vomit." She looked to James apologetically.

"It's alright, come on," James helped her off the porch, and they pushed through the crowd inside to look for a bathroom.

* * *

  _Dear Scorpius_ , Rose thought, she was trying to entertain herself to avoid falling asleep. The Burrow was packed with relatives who didn't have other New Year's Eve parties they were obliged to attend, and Rose and her cousins were hanging around waiting for the fireworks.

 _Dear Scorpius_ , her confession letter would begin.  _First, I'd like to explain that while I do fi – no,_ think  _– our friendship is important, I need to confess something that's been bothering me for so long now._ Rose decided Scorpius didn't need to know exactly how long, really.

 _I think you are a smart, talented, and interesting person...and I've fallen deeply_ deeply  _in love with you_ , Rose exaggerated, laughing quietly to herself amid stares from her cousins. Perhaps she ought to write this down, Rose thought.  _Yeah, and maybe I should hand it to Albus for proofreading as well!_  Rose thought sarcastically. There was no point leaving evidence lying around of her growing fondness for Scorpius. Rose decided this whole "secretly being in love" business must've finally driven her mental, what with arguing with herself, and daydreaming too often.

* * *

 Gwen completely forgot she'd sent James away for a glass of water, when she took a peak outside the second floor bathroom. She assumed he'd left her to fend for herself, and she returned to the safety of the bathroom. She'd cleaned up as best she could so that she no longer smelled of and tasted like vomit, but the taste of alcohol just would not go away.

"Oh! Merlin-," Gwen had forgotten to lock the bathroom door, and of course someone walked in on her, slumped on the cool tiles. And of course, that certain someone would be inexplicably attractive.

"I'm sorry, I really shouldn't be hogging-" Gwen began.

"No, it's alright. D'you need a quiet place to lie down a minute?" the stranger asked.

"Lie down? No, shouldn't move my head too much. Quiet, yes please," Gwen realised the situation and extended a hand, "Gwen Vasquez."

"In the flesh!" the boy cried, "I'm Sebastian, Tippy's brother, call me Bastian or Bast. Tippy's said a lot about you," he shook Gwen's hand exuberantly.

"Bast?" Gwen wrinkled her nose, "Like the Egyptian goddess?"

"Our parents are insane," Bastian allowed, nodding. "Come on, I think the guest bedroom's free."

"Thank you," Gwen followed him down the hallway and into one of the first rooms. It was a blessedly quiet bedroom, though it was obvious other guests had gotten to it, by the state of the bed sheets.

"Silencing charm," Bastian said. "Tip and I put one in all the rooms."

"You know, I think I remember you now," Gwen smiled. "You graduated about three years ago, was it?"

"You remember me?" Bastian grinned shyly, and Gwen wondered why, when she was the one star struck by his good looks. Typical Cornwallis modesty, Gwen decided. Even boisterous Tippy had it.

"I remember the older girls in my house fancying the hell out of you," Gwen admitted, smiling cheekily. She took a seat on the bed, leaned back on her hands, and sighed blissfully at the quiet. Bastian thought about where this was headed for a moment, and then sat beside her.

Meanwhile, James tentatively opened the door to the second floor bathroom, only to find it completely empty. He spun around quickly, calling Gwen's name, and some stranger bumped into him, 'causing the cup of water to spill onto his shirt.

"Shit," James cried, and the stranger didn't even bother with an apology. James went inside the bathroom, throwing the plastic cup away in the bin beside the toilet. He dabbed at the spillage on his shirt with some toilet paper, swore some more, and pulled out his wand. " _Tergeo._ "

James called Gwen's name again, then decided he'd have to look for her. Around him, people started counting down to midnight, and James suddenly realised he wanted Gwen to be his midnight kiss. He opened the first door to his left in the hallway, and found it occupied by an oblivious threesome. James shut the door and cringed, thinking how much Gwen would laugh at him for that. Then, he opened the door to his right, and that's when shit started.

"Gwen?" James said, amid the noise of horns and, well, noisemakers, and fireworks, signalling the arrival of the New Year. Gwen pulled away from kissing Bastian and turned.

"James!," she shot up, pulled James into the room, and closed the door. Awkward silence rang inside the bedroom.

"Er, hullo, James" Bastian greeted, still dazed from the snogging.

"Bast, that's my girlfriend," James said evenly, still processing what'd happened.

"Oh, no! Oh, Merlin, I'm so sorry, James! She said you weren't really dating!" Bastian stood up with his hands in the air in surrender.

"We're not," Gwen said, from across the room and James watched her evenly. If she told Bastian everything, there was no way in hell he'd keep it from Tippy. "Not...really...," Gwen finished lamely.

"What does that even mean?!" Bastian cried.

"We're...in an open relationship!" Gwen said. She urged James to agree, but he was only watching her, stony-faced. A wave of worry and regret washed through Gwen.

"Yes, we are," James finally turned away and told Bastian.

"So, you're not angry?" Bastian swore James was about to go mental.

"No," he replied, forcibly.

"Whatever is going on with you two," Bastian began, "I had no idea...," he shook his head, not knowing how to finish.

"It's alright, it was my mistake. I'm sorry you got involved," Gwen apologised. She moved away from the door as Bastian made as if to leave.

"It's alright," he echoed, eyeing the still stunned James, who hadn't moved from the middle of the room. "I won't tell Tippy, Gwen. It's fine."

"Thank you," Gwen told him ardently, as he left the room and shut the door behind him, leaving Gwen alone with James's confused feelings.

"D'you fancy him?" James asked, sitting at the foot of the bed and refusing to look at Gwen.

 _No, I fancy_ you,  _you idiot,_ she wanted to say.

"It was just a snog...," Gwen somehow felt she had to apologise, though she realised she'd done nothing wrong. "I'm sorry, I should've talked over the terms of the deal with you."

"No, it's...it's okay," James breathed. "You're not really my girlfriend," it sounded more like an accusation, and Gwen felt anger rising inside of her. She hadn't done anything wrong! Instead, Gwen let exhaustion replace her anger.

"James...," Gwen didn't know what to say, and James still wouldn't look at her. "I'm going home."

"You can't apparate drunk, you'll hurt yourself," James argued, finally looking up at Gwen. He looked just as exhausted as she felt, and she couldn't understand why. She hadn't done anything wrong, and what did he care?

* * *

 It was finally time to return to Hogwarts, and Scorpius gladly joined Rose and Al inside one of the train's compartments. He plopped down across from Rose, and turned to Al beside him.

"Is it true, James and Gwen fought at Tippy Cornwallis's New Year's Eve party?" he asked.

"Scorp, I didn't ask  _James_ about it, if that's what you're expecting," Al chided.

"Of course not, but what have you heard?" Scorp saw Rose frowning from the corner of his eye.

"I heard she shagged Tippy's brother. Remember him? The good-looking one, Sebastian," Al said.

"She wouldn't do that!" Rose argued.

"I'm just telling you what I heard," Al shrugged. "And James's been really quiet and gloomy lately, get's irritable about little things."

"Al, your idea of little things is experimenting with people's stuff," Rose crossed her arms.

"What've  _you_ heard?" Al retaliated. Rose huffed, indicating she hadn't heard anything, or at least, not anything different, and Al made a self-satisfied face.

As soon as Al was back to whatever he was reading, Scorp and Rose started exchanging meaningful glances. Rose frowned. Scorp shrugged. The gist of the conversation was that, ultimately, neither knew what was really going on.

In another compartment, Gwen sat with her roommates. None of them asked about the party, though she could see a few wanted to. She leaned her head against the window, thinking about how she and James hadn't written to each other since some time before the party.

As soon as the students returned to the castle, several people were already sneaking glances at the much talked-about couple. Gwen held James's hand firmly under the largely judgemental gaze of the crowd. James, himself, seemed normal enough on the outside, but Gwen found something odd in his silence and coldness.

 _Oh, fuck it_ , Gwen thought. Perhaps if she gave him some time, it would all pass, and everything would be back to normal. Besides, it was less than a month until Valentine's Day, which was when the real judging would begin.


	11. The Incredibly True Story of Scorpius and Rose

"I should just join up with Moaning Myrtle," Gwen groaned into her mug of warm tea, in the kitchens with Rose and Scorpius. It was long after school had started back up, but James still hadn't gone back to normal.

"I don't understand, really. I haven't known James to sulk like this," Rose patted Gwen consolingly.

"I've thought it over, and it's either he's upset you've made him look like an idiot, or he fancies you back and is completely jealous about it," Scorpius thought, not knowing how to console anyone, really.

"I made both of us look terrible. Now, people think I'm a horrid cheater," Gwen perked up, suddenly. "He couldn't be jealous...could he?"

"He could be," Scorp insisted. They both looked to Rose.

"Look, I'm quite sure James has never had any reason to be jealous, ever. I don't know what he's like when he is, but I agree with Scorp. He could be," Rose shrugged.

"Do jealous people avoid the object of their affections? Does  _anyone_ , really, avoid the object of their affections?" Gwen sulked.

"Er, maybe it's best...if we don't assume anything...to be safe," Scorpius amended as Rose chastised him with a look.

"He's not  _really_ avoiding you, though. He still sometimes sits with you at meals?" Rose offered.

"But it's weird. He seems...distracted, or like he's in a hurry to get away," Gwen thought. As Gwen slumped over her mug, Rose threw Scorpius a look over Gwen's head:  _What do we do?_

* * *

 Rose sighed for the millionth time over her homework as she and Scorpius spent the afternoon in the library. "I don't think fancying someone should be as complicated as James and Gwen have made it out to be," she finally said.

"You don't think?" Scorpius echoed, wondering how complicated his feelings for Rose might be.  _Really not complicated at all,_  he decided. "I think, maybe, Gwen should just confess and get it over with," Scorp stated, pragmatically.

"But, now? Really?," Rose argued. "How could she have the courage when James is being so cold, and she's just up and snogged someone else."

"I don't know how she doesn't explode with all that's happening already," Scorpius said, thinking how just now, sitting across from Rose, he was already close to exploding with the secret of fancying her.

"She's never been one to explode; I suppose," Rose decided, "At least, not for as long as I've known her."

"How...," Scorpius thought about whether or not he should continue, "How do you think James would react...y'know, if Gwen confessed?"

"I'd hope he'd let her down kindly," Rose watched Scorpius evenly. What if she'd confess to him? How would he react? "It'd be too easy for him to hurt her to get even."

"You really don't think he fancies her?"

"James has never been shy about fancying anyone," Rose said, "Except maybe Tippy, who's his best friend, next to Fred, so that's understandable. Not to mention, she's seeing someone else."

"But this is different too, isn't it?" Scorpius insisted. "He and Gwen used to hate each other, and now..."

"Now, they still do," Rose retaliated.

"Not Gwen," Scorpius said.

"Why d'you keep arguing about this?" Rose scowled. "The fact is, the risk is much too high for Gwen to do anything about it."

"And you think the risk's not high for James too? If he did fancy her, he could never let it show, 'cause she's already made it clear, at least to him, that she's not interested. She snogged someone else."

"So, you think it's all up to Gwen, then.  _She_ should confess," Rose said.

"Well, if James can't...," Scorpius finished. Rose wondered why she was so upset. Perhaps it was all hitting too close to home. After all, Rose was still wondering if  _she_ ought to confess to Scorpius.

* * *

 Valentine's Day finally came, in the middle of a week, which meant cute gestures and surprises, instead of dates, which would inevitable happen the weekend after. Rose sat at breakfast, noticing that James'd apparently left something (an excessive and conspicuous collection of flowers and balloons) for Gwen, meaning they hadn't ended their ridiculous charade just yet.

Just then, an owl Rose didn't recognise plopped a bouquet of white calla lilies, and of course, roses in front of her. There were twelve flowers in all, and attached to each one were oddly shaped cards that Rose immediately recognised.

"Dzou Yen! Ignatia Wildsmith! Babayaga!" Rose cried, inspecting the Chocolate Frog cards attached to each flower.

"Ooh, someone's got a secret admirer!" cried one of Rose's friends as they all huddled and watched her pick the bouquet up carefully from the table. The only cards were the Chocolate Frog cards Rose's collection was missing. She had no idea who could've sent the bouquet. After all, her love of collection Chocolate Frog cards was widely known.

At the Ravenclaw table, Scorpius looked on; glad Rose was enjoying his bouquet. It had not been fun surreptitiously eating or giving away all those Chocolate Frogs in search of twelve cards he knew Rose was missing.

"Of course that's your bouquet," Al smirked good-naturedly. He'd planned a simply box of assorted chocolates for Dottie, afraid something grander would scare her off. His more impressive plans were for that Valentine's weekend. "Roses for Rose," Al chuckled.

"Shut it," Scorpius gave him a friendly shove.

* * *

 Unfortunately for Scoprius, an anonymous bouquet meant anyone could've claimed responsibility for it. And that's exactly what Thomas Stilwell did. Not only did he claim the bouquet, he'd also had the gall to ask Rose out for that weekend, not that Scorpius had been planning on it.

"How could you go out with that wanker?" Scorpius sulked as he accompanied Rose in waiting for Stilwell, before heading out to Hogsmeade. Scorpius, himself, planned a day alone with his books at Ravenclaw Tower.

"He's not a  _wanker_ ," Rose protested vaguely, preoccupied with looking for Stilwell in the crowd. This was, in fact, her way of testing herself. If she could stand not thinking of Scorpius throughout the date, then perhaps she needn't confess her bottled up feelings for him. Sure, she felt terrible for using Thomas, but what's a girl to do, when the mere proximity of her best friend seemed to make her brain shut down, her legs go wobbly, and her stomach do gymnastics?

"He's not the most  _fun_  person," Scorpius amended weakly.

"There he is," Rose turned to Scorpius as Thomas Stilwell made his way to them. "How do I look?"

"Much too good for Thomas Stilwell," Scorpius said. Rose rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Wish me luck," said Rose.

"You don't need it," Scorpius beamed down at her.

And it was just Rose's luck that Thomas Stilwell's idea of an impressive Valentine's date was to cram themselves into Madam Puddifoot's with possibly the rest of the student body population. Rose tried to pay attention to Thomas, but the tea shop was much too cramped and noisy.

"Thomas, why don't we just go for a walk?" Rose offered.

"Oh," Thomas looked around, seemingly having just realised their uncomfortable situation. "Hold on, let me finish my cake?"

"Sure," Rose obliged. "So...how'd you know I was missing those particular cards? I don't really remember talking to you about my collection...ever, really," she laughed awkwardly.

"Oh, er...," Thomas chewed slowly, "I, er, asked one of your friends."

"Oh? Which one? I'll have to thank them," Rose smiled. She was touched at the lengths Thomas had gone, and that her friends had remembered which cards her collection was missing.

"Er, your cousin," Thomas replied.

"Al?" Rose wondered. He must've wanted to make a good impression on Dottie's older brother.

"Yes," Thomas nodded, smiling. "This cake is lovely," he added. Rose found her thoughts wandering to how Scorpius must've reacted to Al helping Thomas. He must've known...

"Could we maybe pay for this now, so we can leave?" Rose tried to say as politely as possible, trying to push away all thoughts of Scorpius, which, of course, never works.

"Alright," Thomas decided, paying for the food, and helping Rose with her coat.

Finally, they were walking in the crisp February air, and even the roadside slush was a welcome alternative to Madam Puddifoot's. A few times, Rose slipped, but reliable Thomas was there to steady her. She thought, then, perhaps she could stand more than just one date with him.

"Thomas," Rose turned to face the older boy. "I like you," she admitted, and was pleased to see him blush. "You're so...easy to be with. No mess, no pretences," Thomas's smile faltered for a split second, but Rose hadn't noticed. "Things've been a bit complicated around me, lately, but you're...you're just you, genuine and true. I like that." Rose turned away and continued walking.

"Rose, hold on...," Thomas hadn't followed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"What, why?"

"I've been very unfair to you. I'm so sorry," Thomas looked at her anxiously.

"Thomas, what're apologising for?" Rose asked worriedly.

"I-...I didn't...I didn't send the bouquet," Thomas inhaled, bracing for impact.

"But...but you said-"

"Yes, I'm sorry. I lied. I just wanted you to go out with me, and when you assumed I'd sent the bouquet...I couldn't say no!"

"But...then who did?" Rose asked.

"I don't know. I'm so sorry, Rose," Thomas pleaded.

"This is a disaster," Rose covered her face...and then she laughed.

"Wh-What's so funny?" Thomas asked.

"It's okay. It's okay, Thomas," she looked up at him. "The truth is, I haven't been completely honest myself."

"What d'you mean?"

"I was...I was just going out with you, to see if I could...get someone off my mind. Then, maybe it meant I didn't  _really_ fancy him, and maybe I could just bury these feelings away forever and ever," she wasn't laughing anymore, "but I couldn't, and I can't, so that's that."

"You should tell 'im," Thomas blurted.

"What?"

"Well, if  _I_ didn't send the bouquet, couldn't the boy you fancy have sent it?" Thomas shrugged.

"It could've been anyone, Thomas," Rose grinned sadly.

"But it could've been him, and then what? Could you really stand not knowing?" Thomas asked. Rose suddenly hugged him.

"Thanks," she pulled away, and ran off in the direction of the castle. "I'll pay you back for the cake!" she called over her shoulder, deciding it was only fair.

* * *

Scorpius was pacing agitatedly around the seventh year boys' room when a first year, Lorcan Scamander, burst through the door. "Er, there's someone here for you," the younger boy started, "she couldn't figure out the answer to the riddle, but I was on my way, so I let her in...Is that alright?"

"Sure, Lorcan," Scorpius was only half paying attention. He had spent so much time thinking about Rose on a date with Thomas Stilwell, and he wasn't done thinking it over yet. The question was whether he'd ever be spurred into action. Finally, he realised what Lorcan had said. "Who is it?"

"Rose Weasley," said Lorcan. "She seems pretty excited about something."

"What?" Scorpius didn't wait for a reply. He rushed down to the common room where Rose was pacing and muttering to herself, exactly as he had just a while ago.

"Scorp!" Rose jumped, and then noticed the other Ravenclaws in the room. She grabbed Scorpius's hand and pulled him out of Ravenclaw Tower. Though the corridor was empty, she dragged him a little further away from the entrance to the tower before she began.

"Scorp, there's something I've got to tell you," Rose breathed. She could feel her throat closing in, and knew it was now or never. "I...I fancy you!" she forced out, then gave an involuntary squeak, covering her mouth as though to take it all back.

"Oh..." Scorpius looked dazed.

"Oh?" Rose looked close to tears.

"Oh, sweet Merlin's bloody beard!" Scorpius pumped a fist in the air. "I mean, sorry," he made a few gestures of appeasement at Rose. "I have had this massive embarrassing crush on you for so long, Rose-," he never finished. In a flash, Rose was on her toes and kissing him, and it was the most magnificent feeling in the world, and all he could think was:  _We! Are! Snogging!_

"You git!" Rose said as soon as she pulled away. "You made me pine away  _miserably_ for forever, and you fancied me all along!"

" _I_ was pining!" Scorpius argued. "You were skipping along  _completely_ unaware- You know what? I am not that great of an actor," he insisted, and Rose laughed.

"Please tell me the bouquet was from you," Rose said quietly.

"The bouquet was from me," Scorpius confirmed, holding Rose close and smiling contentedly.

"You know, we've got Thomas Stilwell to thank for this," Rose half joked, followed by a frustrated groan from Scorpius.


	12. V-Day (or, Things Fall Apart)

Before V-Day

"James, I was thinking...," Gwen started. "I think...I think it's alright if I start seeing other people. I think it would be good for me. You're still unhealthily fixated on Tip, and I've got no one, and I think it'd be better if we tell people we're in an open relationship."

"What?" James asked. His features were blank, but focused, in a way that frightened Gwen.

"It'll be just like what we told Bast," Gwen shrugged, self-consciously adjusting where she sat on the bench in the empty corridor with James.

"You're right," James said, considering things. He was afraid to admit it, but he wasn't even after Tippy anymore. There was no point in pretending he and Gwen were totally in love, so why didn't he want the fake relationship to end? "I've got Tippy and you've got months left to snog as many boys as you can before we leave Hogwarts," James said sardonically. Gwen flinched, frowning. When did he become so mean?

"Well, as long as we're in agreement," Gwen decided to avoid the confrontation that would've exploded between them.

After that, things were even more awkward between them. James would sometimes grow sulky around her, but would only give confused answers when asked. And even though James had technically agreed she could see other people, she never had the heart to. It somehow felt like something she was doing behind James's back, even though it wasn't as though he'd asked to be kept updated anyway. The topic also made him grumpy.

V-Day

Gwen was sorry to realise it, but James being happy around her was starting to be a rare sight. She wondered if perhaps faking affection was taking its toll on him. However, on the morning of Valentine's Day, red and pink balloons and flowers greeted Gwen, and she received a modified Howler that sang her praises whenever she opened it.

"I am still your boyfriend, aren't I?" James commented, as he came over to her seat at the Hufflepuff table, surrounded by students both bemused and annoyed at the breakfast interruption. He and Gwen kissed for the onlookers, but Gwen noticed he wasn't looking so well, underneath all that false cheer. Gwen hadn't known whether or not James would like seeing her on a day all about romantic love, or if it would remind him too much of the lie that was their relationship, so she'd arranged for James to receive different kinds of chocolate in each of his classes for the day. Other than breakfast, they hadn't seen each other all day.

After V-Day

Gwen was relieved that Matty and Tippy had not chosen Madam Puddifoot's as a Valentine's weekend date. Instead, they were at the Three Broomsticks, which, admittedly, was still packed. This mattered to Gwen, because, of course, James insisted on stalking the other couple while pretending to be on a date, killing two birds with one stone.

"James, are you alright?" Gwen asked, he was visibly uncomfortable with her, but wasn't even paying attention to Tippy and Matty behind her. He would look at her, then look away, then look back to her again.

"I'm fine," James mumbled. The truth was, apart from on Valentine's Day, they hadn't really spoken all week. James had wanted to see her, but the pretence of stalking their friends only reminded him that they weren't really together.

"Have...have I done something wrong?" Gwen finally asked. James snorted, and then caught himself.

"No, of course not," he shrugged uncomfortably.

"Well...I feel like you're avoiding me," Gwen admitted.

"It's just...it's complicated, Gwen," James sighed, and it was. How could he ever explain to her that he had been jealous when he'd found her with Bastian Cornwallis. How could he ever explain that the reason he was avoiding her was because he didn't want to fall for her. He was trying to wean himself off of her company. He was incredibly confused, and he couldn't understand why it made him so upset to think of her with anyone else. He was clearly mental, and how could you explain that?

"And the only solution is to avoid me?" Gwen asked.

"No, it isn't even that," James sighed.

"Isn't even? So, it is about me?" Gwen gnawed on her lip, a bad habit that came with her nerves.

"No, Gwen," and James suddenly had the desire to turn her away from the topic at all costs. "Not everything's about you," he'd meant it as a joke, but it'd come out sounding cruel, like everything he was saying to Gwen these days. Understandably, she stood up and left the table.

James left some money on the table and followed her out of the Three Broomsticks. Gwen only marched further away, and in the direction of the only place that wasn't crowded on a Valentine's Day weekend: the Shrieking Shack. Finally, Gwen stopped. There was nowhere else to go, unless she braved the barbed wire, and the shack itself.

"Gwen," James called out, be he didn't know what to say.

"It's not about me, isn't it? It's about Tippy," Gwen decided.

"What?" James asked, completely lost.

"I don't get it," Gwen said, despondently. "Why couldn't you just ask her out? Why couldn't you just...confess your feelings before Matthew Weinstein did, huh?" She was waving her arms around, looking at anything but James. "It would've saved us a whole lot of drama!"

"I never...I never knew I liked her that way until Matthew Weinstein, Gwen...," James ran a hand through his unruly dark hair. "We were perfect teammates, perfect friends. I never knew until Matthew Weinstein came along-"

"And you thought the same thing would make her realise she was in love with you the whole time?" Gwen asked scathingly.

"You agreed to this, Gwen. I never made you," James retaliated. "And it's not like I've stopped you from hanging around with other guys," James sneered in a way that surprised even him.

"But why are you acting like such a prick, James?!" Gwen cried. "Why're you making this so difficult? We're not really dating," Gwen flared, "I can flirt and hang around with other guys if I want to!"

"Well, if I'm such a prick, then you're the slag, going after anybody that moves! Going from person to person, like it doesn't matter who you're with," James didn't notice how Gwen had gone pale, and it wasn't the chill February air.

"Look, I don't lie to people to make them fall for me," Gwen replied coldly. "Everyone I've ever been with knows I'm not in it for the long haul, and you know what? Neither are they. And neither one of us are slags. And there's no harm in any of it. No one gets hurt."

"And I'm a prick for fancying just one person; for being serious about her?"

"No, you bloody idiot!," there was no affection behind the name-calling this time. "You're a prick for being an absolute psycho! You don't really care do you, as long as I play along. You don't care about me, you certainly don't care about Matthew. All you care about is winning Tippy. Do you even know why she's dating Matty?" Only stony silence from James.

"She likes that he's honest and kind," Gwen said, quietly. "She likes that he doesn't put her on some pedestal. In fact, they argue all the time. Did you know that? But she likes that he doesn't expect her to read his mind and answer all his needs, or whatever. She's not some abstract concept of a dream girl. Their relationship is real, problems and all." Gwen tried to impress the importance of this.

"It's not about Tippy, Gwen. It hasn't been about Tippy anymore for so long," James finally admitted. "I know there's no point, trying to win her affection, if she doesn't like me that way. I know it's screwed up to try to lie my way through it. I know I'm a complete arsehole."

"And do you know that it's unfair to put someone on some pedestal and make them your dream girl?"

"Yes, and I'll apologise to Tippy about it, but I do care about you, Gwen. I care about you a lot, and it's driving me mental that you're just my fake girlfriend, and you flirt other guys...," James groaned in frustration.

"What the fuck, James," Gwen whispered.

"Gwen, please..."

"No. No, you're not doing this to me. I am not your new Tippy Cornwallis. I'm not some Dream Girlfriend. That whole fake relationship was fucking fake, alright? You don't know me. You know nothing about me. And you are not turning me into your own personal Pygmalion thing where you project your issues on me and expect me to fix everything. That is not a relationship."

"Gwen-"

"Nope. Goodbye. I'm fake breaking up this fake relationship," Gwen pushed past James and there was nothing he could do. Gwen was right. He couldn't force his affections on someone else, but she was wrong too. He did know her.

He knew stories about her family that no one else did. He knew about her favourite things, and the things she feared most. He knew she was afraid of getting too close to people, Merlin knows why, but that if she would just let them, she'd maybe finally find a best friend. And James knew he'd probably been scaring her off for a long time now, with acting like a sullen, angry, possessive fake boyfriend, and maybe that's what Gwen feared most; so, he wouldn't do that to her anymore. He had to let her go now.


	13. Five Steps to a Brighter Future

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, again, to einibeinipunkyfauchi for leaving a comment :) Also, should I write an epilogue?

Nearly a week after gossip about the Potter/Vasquez split mellowed down a bit (well into March), Gwen received a package, with a note, care of Naomi Bankhead. Gwen had been lolling about in bed, trying to study for NEWTs, which was one thing the break up seemed to be good for; she only wanted to hide away in her dorm room, and she had her schoolwork to distract her.

"Gwen?" Naomi ventured. They were, thankfully, alone in the room.

"Yes," Gwen replied, absently, focused on taking down notes to revise with from her book.

"Freddie gave me something to give to you."

"That's nice," Gwen continued scribbling. It helped her remember things, writing them down on her own. Naomi stopped Gwen's quill with a hand. "Naomi!"

"Gwen, here," she thrust the small box towards Gwen, urging her to take it.

"Sorry, thanks...sorry," Gwen mumbled a reply, taking the box.

"You... _you_ broke up with  _him_ ," Naomi clarified. Gwen cleared her throat.

"Yeah," she said, as casually as possible.

"Gwen, I've tried to stay out of your business for as long as possible, but I can't stand seeing you this way and do nothing about it," Naomi began. "What exactly happened?" Gwen's shoulders sagged. Even after the fake break up, she'd kept the secret about the fake dating.

"Seeing me what way? I'm doing really well with my classes, Naomi," Gwen shrugged.

"Gwen, you've been avoiding him for forever, and you haven't even said his name since the break up," Naomi placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm not seeing him anymore. I don't need to  _talk_ about him. What if that's my way of getting over it?" Gwen frowned.

"I want to help you," Naomi sighed.

"Thank you," Gwen said, "but I think I'm alright."

"At least read the note, will you?" Naomi asked, walking out of the room.

The note read:

_Gwen,_

_I'm sorry I acted like a jealous git. I hope you're doing fine. I'm giving you back the compass, because it reminds me of you, and I thought you'd want it back, seeing as you hate me now. Well, hate me more than usual. You can keep the bracelet...or if you can't stand the thought of me, you're welcome to throw it into the Black Lake._

' _James_

Gwen opened the box to reveal the compass. Her eyes stung with tears, though she'd promised herself she wouldn't cry over him. She  _wasn't_ crying over him, she reasoned. These were tears of frustration. How could he be so sweet, one minute, and then turn around and be so bitter? In her palm, the compass's needle swung to the general direction of Gryffindor Tower.

* * *

 "There's got to be  _something_ we can do," Rose sighed. She and Scorpius were, once again, in the library, keeping warm with the books as March rained all over them, winter melting into spring, March clearing the way for April.

"We've tried giving them space, passing James's notes, everything short of trapping her in a room- No." Scorp saw the gleam in Rose's eye.

"Why not?" Rose asked, frowning up from beside him. "Could've worked for us."

"Thomas Stilwell worked for us," Scorp said sarcastically. "We're talking about two stubborn people who pretended to see each other for  _months_ and never cracked."

"No, they cracked," Rose corrected, and Scorpius nodded thoughtfully.

"They can't fix this alone. That much is clear," Scorp admitted.

"Because they're stubborn," Rose decided.

"And because Gwen doesn't think it could work, and James would never push her,  _thankfully_. If he did, things would be a  _lot_ worse," Scorpius put his analytical mind to work. Rose smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek, casual as you please. Scorpius blushed. Rose loved that she could do that now; kiss him, like she'd always wanted to, normally, casually, just because she could.

* * *

 It was the first note she'd sent back:

_James,_

_I'm sorry I got scared. I'm not as brave as you are, to put yourself at someone else's mercy like you did with me. The truth is (and I know I shouldn't tell you this, because false hope and crap), I'd fallen for you long before we had that fight. But I think I wasn't just afraid of you rejecting me. I was also afraid you wouldn't, and I'd be forced to be your shiny new girlfriend (maybe not new), and you'd either love me and put me on a pedestal, like I've noticed you tend to do with people...or you'd eventually hate me and break up with me, just as I was getting attached. See? It could never have ended well. I think, maybe, you've noticed that I don't like putting myself at anyone's mercy. I'd rather be self-employed. I'd rather not have a boyfriend. I'm physically incapable, apparently, of having a best friend. Naomi will attest to that. I know this, but you didn't, and you put yourself at_ _ my _ _mercy. I could've let you down easier. I'm sorry._

' _Gwen._

James let out a stilted laugh, after reading the note. It had come back, stubbornly, with the charm bracelet in tow. He had half a mind to throw it into the lake himself. Maybe he would. But then again, false hope and crap. If there was one thing James was good at, it was making shit plans. The more convoluted the better.

* * *

  **Step One: The Cold Shoulder**

 _Give her space_ , James thought,  _she'd just effectively confessed her feelings._

James spent the better part of April giving Gwen more room, and revising for NEWTs. It was a pragmatic arrangement. The idea was that Gwen's fear would mellow out, making way for her apparent feelings for him.

Gwen spent her time wondering where in the world it went wrong, and why she couldn't stop thinking about it. Perhaps it was because when they hadn't been fake dating, they'd been at each others' throats. She had no idea how to be "in stalemate" with him.

"Earth to Gwen Vasquez?" Megan waved her hand in front of Gwen as students started getting up after dinner.

"Meg, leave her alone," Naomi chastised.

"What?" Gwen turned to her friends. She realised where she'd been staring (Gryffindor table) and flushed, with embarrassment and frustration.

"Over him, are we?" Jackie teased. She'd never been one to beat around the bush.

"Jackie," Naomi gave a motherly disappointed sigh. Gwen seemed to realise something.

"When you were giving me space...were you serious? Or did you just not want to hang out with me while I was moping around?" Gwen asked in the general direction of her friends. She hadn't noticed before, but since the break up, when they were outside Hufflepuff Basement, her friends constantly surrounded her in a protective circle. Now was no different.

"Are you daft?!" this one from Hazel.

"I think she's being serious," Ruthie said sarcastically.

"I think she's finally realising some shit," Megan deadpanned.

"Gwen," this one from the ever reliable Naomi, "We've been here for you  _this whole time_. Did you not notice the 'Keep Out' warning sign on our door?"

"I thought you were...er, making fun of me," Gwen blushed.

"I told you it was stupid!" Meg swatted at Hazel's shoulder jokingly.

"So, you've been taking care of me, this whole time?" Gwen started tearing up, and she wished she had more control over her traitorous tear ducts.

"Oh, love," Naomi came over and hugged Gwen comfortingly.

"Group hug!" Ruthie cried, as the other students looked on confusedly at the pile of weepy Hufflepuff girls.

**Step Two: The Calculatedly Casual**

"Hiya, Gwen," James waved cheerily at a confused Gwen as he passed her in-between classes. They hadn't so much as looked each other in the eye since the break up.

"Hi..." Gwen said from inside her usual entourage of friends. Just like that, a weight seemed to lift inside her. There was no more pressure to keep ignoring him.

**Step Three: The "Show her it's worth the risk"**

"Hold on, you  _both_ wanted to see me today,  _just_ so you could rub your couple-y cuteness in my face, and do adorable couple things?" Gwen asked coolly. She'd long realised it was best to speak directly when it came to Rose and Scorpius. It was a mild day in April, and the three were lounging beside the Black Lake.

"Do you think all relationships are doomed to failure and heartbreak?" Rose asked, easy as you please, leaning forward.

"Er, no? My parents seem fine," Gwen shrugged. "Then, again, I haven't stayed longer than a summer at home since I was eleven."

"Mhm," Rose continued looking at her expectantly.

"What?" Gwen turned to Scorpius. "What's going on?"

"Nevermind," Scorpius sighed, though he looked particularly amused.

**Scratch that. Step Three: The "Show her I'm worth the risk"**

A narrow roll of parchment made its way in front of Gwen during Charms.

_Reasons Why Gwen Vasquez is_ _ Not  _ _My Dream Girlfriend, by James Potter_

_Stick-in-the-mud_

_Easily tricked into going along with shit plans_

_Stubbornly afraid of humans_

_Will love your dog more than you_

_Cannot sing for shit_

The list went on, and Gwen found herself chuckling under her breath.

**Step Four: Take your NEWTs, because you have a future outside of this school, dammit**

**Step Five: Graduate. Start again.**

The ceremony hadn't begun yet, but students and their families milled around the grounds, hoping it wouldn't rain for the ceremony. James had left his parents to talk to their friends and co-workers. He spotted Gwen introducing her family in a cluster of Hufflepuff girls and their families.

"Excuse me, hi," James introduced himself and shook hands with the parents. "Would you mind if I stole Gwen away for a second," and just like that, he lead her away from the crowd.

"Hello, James," she greeted pleasantly. "Congratulations."

"Congratulations, as well," James said, realising he couldn't remember when he last felt this nervous. "Listen, Gwen, I don't know how to convince you everything will turn out okay. Well, you took Divination, so maybe-."

"James, it's alright," Gwen exhaled, just as nervous. "I realised something, a while back. I was so caught up trying to keep myself closed off and safe, I hadn't even allowed people to...to take care of me when I needed them most. I think I know better now."

After a short pause, "Which means?" James asked.

"...Which means, I know better, now, than to expect that I can make things turn out okay on my own, let alone by closing myself off from people...especially the ones I care about."

"Can we start over?" James asked quietly.

"I think we should. We've made quite a mess, as it is," Gwen laughed nervously.

"You think I'm worth the risk?"

"I think you're very much worth the risk," and that was all the encouragement James needed to cup her face and kiss her soundly.


	14. Sometime in the Future (Epilogue)

It was a backyard wedding, against the setting sun, and everything was made to look like something out of a fairytale. Gwen walked down the aisle, nervous and self-conscious, and at the end of it, James gave her an encouraging wink. She clutched the bouquet and took her position to the left, glad the long walk was over.

Just then, the audience stood for the bride, and a ripple of appreciative murmurs passed through the crowd. Tippy Cornwallis, soon-to-be Weinstein, made her measured way to her groom. She looked like an elfin queen, in her frothy white gown, and Gwen could feel herself tearing up, which was ridiculous, because did bridesmaids really ever cry at weddings? Wasn't that something parents did? And as Tippy and Matthew said their vows and were pronounced husband and wife, Gwen felt an overwhelming gladness over James's inability to make good plans.

* * *

 "I am  _dodging_ that bouquet, James. I don't care," Gwen warned, as James pushed her into the crowd of unmarried ladies.

"Ready?" Tippy called from the low stage temporarily set up in the Cornwallis's backyard. Without warning, she threw her bouquet backwards into the crowd, only for it to bounce lightly from Fred's plus one (Naomi Bankhead), to Melvin the Beater's plus one...his older sister, Penelope.

The crowd erupted into applause, and Penelope cheered. She was a Gryffindor upperclassman of Tippy's and thus, also a good friend. And then, it was time for Matthew to pull out Tippy's garter and throw it into the crowd of unmarried men eager to put the garter on Penelope.

"Keeper reflexes and you couldn't catch a bouquet?" James teased.

"Bludger dodging reflexes," Gwen grinned. "What about you? Quaffle catching reflexes?" and just as Matthew threw the garter into the crowd, Gwen pushed James lightly into the group of men. James grabbed cheekily for the garter, missed, and threw Gwen a fake disappointed look. Bastian Cornwallis had caught the garter. There was some laughter and applause, as a blushing Bastian slipped the garter up Penelope's leg, and Penelope wasn't even blushing.

Gwen pulled James to her. "Couple's dance time!" she squealed.

"You're excited," James laughed, but even he could sense the importance of the moment, when Tippy and Matthew's parents handed them to each other, mid-dance; a symbol of them starting their new life together.

And then Bastian and Penelope joined them, signalling that the dance floor was officially open. Other couples slowly started occupying the floor. "Shall we?" James grinned, hooking Gwen's arm around his, and Gwen nodded eagerly.

"We should slow dance more often," Gwen mused.

James laughed, "Where? When?" he asked.

"Hmm...The next time I've got the flat to myself, how about you cook me dinner, and we slow dance after...?" Gwen offered, she raised a brow suggestively, grinning.

"You're just after my amazing cooking skills," James teased.

"Well, of course! You've got a gift, James!" Gwen obliged, laughing.

"Alright, that sounds wonderful," James sighed, pressing a kiss to Gwen's forehead. She inched closer, resting her head on James's shoulder as they continued dancing, and the fairy lights illuminated the wedding party in the dark.

"I love you," Gwen admitted, soberly.

"I love you too," James replied.


End file.
